Ddim7 chord on piano
Ddim7 is D, F, A♭ and C♭. You'll find D between the two black keys (a white key). Press Play to hear it, then try it at half speed.
root position · D–F–A♭–C♭ · right hand 1-2-3-5
- Notes
- D · F · A♭ · C♭
- Formula
- 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭♭7
How to play Ddim7 on piano
From D, go 3 half steps up to F, 3 half steps up to A♭ then 3 half steps up to C♭. Press the 4 keys together and that's Ddim7.
- Right hand: 1 on D, 2 on F, 3 on A♭ and 5 on C♭.
- Left hand: 5 on D, 3 on F, 2 on A♭ and 1 on C♭.
- On the keyboard it's white, white, black and white keys.
Ddim7 inversions
- root position: D–F–A♭–C♭. RH 1-2-3-5.
- 1st inversion: F–A♭–C♭–D (F in the bass). Fingers 1-2-3-5.
- 2nd inversion: A♭–C♭–D–F (A♭ in the bass). Right hand 1-2-3-5.
- 3rd inversion: C♭–D–F–A♭, C♭ lowest. RH 1-2-3-5.
Use the inversions to stay put: the next chord is often one inversion away from where your hand already is, as the changes below show.
Ddim7 chord changes
The chords Ddim7 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- E♭ (leads up a half step): Ddim7 to E♭: play E♭ in root position (E♭–G–B♭), while D moves up to E♭, A♭ down to G and C♭ down to B♭. E♭ on piano
- E♭m (leads up a half step): Ddim7 to E♭m: play E♭m in root position (E♭–G♭–B♭), while D moves up to E♭, F up to G♭ and C♭ down to B♭. E♭m on piano
- G (a fifth down): Ddim7 to G: play G in 2nd inversion (D–G–B) and D and B stay under the same fingers, while A♭ moves down to G. G on piano
Ddim7 is a diminished seventh: three minor thirds stacked, so the chord divides the octave into four equal parts. Ddim7 can stand in for a dominant seventh a half step below, which is why it links chords so smoothly. Play it solid and then broken to hear the difference.
A short Ddim7 drill
Roll the chord up and back down, D, F, A♭, C♭, A♭, F, D, before playing it as a block. Then climb the inversions: D–F–A♭–C♭, then F–A♭–C♭–D, then A♭–C♭–D–F, then C♭–D–F–A♭.
The keys of Ddim7
Ddim7 is a diminished seventh chord, 1–♭3–♭5–♭♭7 from D. Root position, from the bottom: how Ddim7 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| F | white key | RH 2 · LH 3 | minor third |
| A♭ | black key | RH 3 · LH 2 | diminished fifth |
| C♭ | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | diminished seventh |
Keys and progressions with Ddim7
Ddim7 on guitar and ukulele
Ddim7 on guitar and ukulele uses the same 4 notes in a different layout. See all three together.
Next to try on piano
Other diminished seventh chords
Ddim7 on piano: questions
What notes are in Ddim7 on piano?
D, F, A♭ and C♭: D (white key), F (white key), A♭ (black key) and C♭ (white key). Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
How do you play Ddim7 on piano?
Press D, F, A♭ and C♭ together (1 black, 3 white). Right hand: 1 on D, 2 on F, 3 on A♭ and 5 on C♭.
What are the inversions of Ddim7?
1st inversion (F–A♭–C♭–D), 2nd inversion (A♭–C♭–D–F) and 3rd inversion (C♭–D–F–A♭), after root position (D–F–A♭–C♭). Each keeps all the notes of the chord.
What does Ddim7 look like on the keyboard?
white, white, black and white keys.
Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Ddim7. Updated September 2026.