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E Diminished Chord on Guitar

12

Open. Play only the bottom four strings.

E diminished, written Edim, is a diminished chord: a minor third and a flat fifth, a tense sound that leads somewhere else. The open shape uses 2 fingers on 4 strings.

How to play Edim, finger by finger

  1. Put your index finger on string 5 at the 1st fret.
  2. Put your middle finger on string 4 at the 2nd fret.
  3. Strum strings 6 to 3 only.

More ways to play Edim

7fr1243
Root on string 5 from fret 7
12
Open near the nut
2fr1243
Movable, fret 2 from fret 2
3fr314
Open, fret 3 from fret 3
5fr4123
Movable, fret 5 from fret 5
6fr2341
Movable, fret 6 from fret 6
7fr123
Movable, fret 7 from fret 7
12fr1342
Movable, fret 12 from fret 12

Notes in E diminished

NoteIntervalRole
E1root
G♭3minor third
B♭♭5flat fifth

Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5

Questions about Edim

What notes are in Edim?

E, G and B♭. Those are the 1, ♭3, ♭5 of the chord, counted from E.

Which strings do I strum for Edim?

All six strings.

What chord does Edim lead to?

Most often F. The root of Edim sits a half step below F, so it leads up into F.

Often played with Edim

Other diminished chords