Gdim Piano Chord

G diminished is the Gdim piano chord. It has three notes: G, B flat and D flat. It is a G minor chord with the fifth lowered onto a black key.

1G3B♭5D♭C3C4

G at the bottom, then B♭ and D♭. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. The black keys are B♭ and D♭.

How to play Gdim on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the G below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): G
  3. Middle finger (3): B♭
  4. Little finger (5): D♭
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just G on its own as a bass note.

The root is white and the other two notes are black, so the hand steps back into the keyboard as it goes up. That shape is common to several diminished chords.

Inversions of Gdim

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Gdim; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionB♭ D♭ G
Gdim piano chord diagram, first inversion, B♭ D♭ G
Lighter than root position and less final. A flat third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionD♭ G B♭
Gdim piano chord diagram, second inversion, D♭ G B♭
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.

If it sounds wrong

The top note is D
That gives G minor. G diminished needs D flat, the black key one lower.
The two black keys sound uneven
They are narrower than white keys. Aim each fingertip at the middle of its key rather than the front edge.
The chord will not resolve
Play A flat major after it, or slide back to G minor. A diminished chord is a step, not a destination.

What makes it a Gdim

G · B♭ · D♭ 1 ♭3 ♭5

G diminished is G, B flat and D flat: the root, the flat third and the flat fifth.

It is the leading tone chord of A flat, and a common passing chord in flat keys. Both of its intervals are minor thirds, which is what gives every diminished chord its even shape.

Gdim vs Gm

The top note. G minor has D, a white key; G diminished has D flat, the black key below it.

The B flat stays where it is in both chords, so only the little finger moves.

Questions about Gdim

Which notes are in a Gdim chord on piano?

G, B flat and D flat. It is a minor chord with the fifth lowered by one key.

What is the difference between Gdim and G minor?

The top note. G minor has a normal fifth; Gdim lowers it by one key to D flat. That single change turns a sad chord into a tense one.

How does a diminished chord resolve?

Usually up by one key. Gdim leans toward A flat major, and playing the two in a row is the quickest way to hear why: every note of the diminished chord is a half step or a whole step from where it wants to go.

Is Gdim hard to play?

No. It is three notes with an even shape, since a diminished triad is two minor thirds stacked. The intervals are the same size, which makes the hand position symmetrical and easy to remember.

Chords to learn next

Other G chords