A diminished chord on guitar (Adim)

Adim is A, C and E♭. The easiest shape is x-0-1-2-1-x. Tap Play, then slow it down.

How to play Adim on guitar

Shape 1, x-0-1-2-1-x, reading from the low E string on the left:

1. Index finger: D string, 1st fret (E♭).
2. Middle finger: B string, 1st fret (C).
3. Ring finger: G string, 2nd fret (A).
4. Let the open A string ring (A).
5. Keep the low E and high E strings quiet by touching them lightly with a fretting finger.

• Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.
• With four strings sounding, a shorter strum works best: start on the first played string and stop at the high E.

Other ways to play Adim

• x-12-13-14-13-x: movable shape at the 12th fret, medium. Root on the 5th string, so it pairs well with the 6th-string shape a few frets away.
• x-x-7-5-4-5: movable shape at the 4th fret, medium. Fewer strings, so it sounds lighter and is quicker to change to.
• x-x-7-8-10-8: movable shape at the 7th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.

Moving between Adim and its neighbours

Songs rarely hold Adim for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

• B♭ (leads up a half step): Adim (x-0-1-2-1-x) to B♭ (x-1-3-3-3-1): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 1st fret, move the middle finger to the D string, 3rd fret, your ring finger lands on the G string, 3rd fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 3rd fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. B♭ on guitar
• B♭m (leads up a half step): Adim (x-0-1-2-1-x) to B♭m (x-1-3-3-2-1): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the B string, 2nd fret, the ring finger goes to the D string, 3rd fret, the pinky finger comes down on the G string, 3rd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. B♭m on guitar
• Dm (iii in B♭ major): Adim (x-0-1-2-1-x) to Dm (x-x-0-2-3-1): your index finger lands on the high E string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, the ring finger goes to the B string, 3rd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share A, which is why the change sounds smooth. Dm on guitar

Adim is a diminished triad: two minor thirds stacked. Adim rarely stays long; it's a passing chord that usually climbs a half step to the next chord. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

Getting Adim under your fingers

Arpeggiate x-0-1-2-1-x from the lowest string: A, E♭, A, C. Then strum it and listen for the same 4 notes together. Then switch to x-12-13-14-13-x and back four times without looking at your hand.

Adim in context

• vii° in B♭ major
• ii° in G minor

Adim on piano and ukulele

Adim on piano and ukulele uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Next to try on guitar

• Adim7
• Am7♭5
• Am
• Aaug

Other diminished chords

• Cdim
• C♯dim
• Ddim
• D♯dim
• Edim
• Fdim
• F♯dim
• Gdim
• G♯dim
• B♭dim
• Bdim

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Adim. Updated September 2026. Print this chord