D diminished chord on piano (Ddim)
Ddim is D, F and A♭. You'll find D between the two black keys (a white key). Tap Play, then slow it down.
root position · D–F–A♭ · right hand 1-3-5
- Notes
- D · F · A♭
- Formula
- 1 · ♭3 · ♭5
How to play Ddim on piano
Start on D, count 3 half steps up to F then 3 half steps up to A♭. Those 3 keys are Ddim.
- Right hand: 1 on D, 3 on F and 5 on A♭.
- Left hand: 5 on D, 3 on F and 1 on A♭.
- On the keyboard it's white, white and black keys, the same pattern as Edim and Adim, so your hand shape carries over.
Ddim inversions
- root position: D–F–A♭. RH 1-3-5.
- 1st inversion: F–A♭–D, F lowest. Right hand 1-2-5.
- 2nd inversion: A♭–D–F, A♭ lowest. Fingers 1-3-5.
Inversions keep the same notes and change which one is lowest. Moving between chords, pick the inversion that keeps your hand closest to where it already is.
Changing from Ddim to the chords around it
Songs rarely hold Ddim for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.
- E♭ (leads up a half step): Ddim to E♭: play E♭ in root position (E♭–G–B♭), while D moves up to E♭, F up to G and A♭ up to B♭. E♭ on piano
- E♭m (leads up a half step): Ddim to E♭m: play E♭m in root position (E♭–G♭–B♭), while D moves up to E♭, F up to G♭ and A♭ up to B♭. E♭m on piano
- Gm (iii in E♭ major): Ddim to Gm: play Gm in 2nd inversion (D–G–B♭) and D stays under the same finger, while F moves up to G and A♭ up to B♭. Gm on piano
Ddim is a diminished triad: two minor thirds stacked. Ddim rarely stays long; it's a passing chord that usually climbs a half step to the next chord. The one-by-one button above makes that quality easy to hear.
Practice Ddim in two minutes
Start with a broken chord, D F A♭ F D, then play it solid. Finish with the inversions in order: D–F–A♭; F–A♭–D; A♭–D–F.
The keys of Ddim
Ddim is a diminished chord, 1–♭3–♭5 from D. Root position, from the bottom: how Ddim is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| F | white key | RH 3 · LH 3 | minor third |
| A♭ | black key | RH 5 · LH 1 | diminished fifth |
Keys and progressions with Ddim
Ddim on guitar and ukulele
The same notes on another instrument: Ddim on guitar and Ddim on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.
Next to try on piano
Other diminished chords
Ddim on piano: questions
What notes are in Ddim on piano?
D, F and A♭: D (white key), F (white key) and A♭ (black key). Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1.
How do you play Ddim on piano?
Press D, F and A♭ together (1 black, 2 white). Right hand: 1 on D, 3 on F and 5 on A♭.
What are the inversions of Ddim?
1st inversion (F–A♭–D) and 2nd inversion (A♭–D–F), after root position (D–F–A♭). Only the lowest note changes.
What does Ddim look like on the keyboard?
white, white and black keys, the same pattern as Edim and Adim, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Ddim. Updated September 2026.