3×CGbCEb×
Fig. 1 · Cdim · hard

guitar chord

Cdim

C1E♭♭3G♭♭5

Two minor thirds stacked. The fifth is diminished, so it cannot be dropped without losing the chord.

on ukuleleon pianothe scale

Every fingering that fits a hand

3
Fig. 2

x3454x

hard

7
Fig. 3

xxa878

hard

8
Fig. 4

89a8xx

moderate · barre

10
Fig. 5

xxabdb

hard

What is true of it

Cdim is C, E♭ and G♭ — 1, b3 and b5 counted from C.

The easiest of the 4 fingerings below is x3454x: 4 fingers, held at the 3rd fret.

None of them uses an open string, so this chord moves up the neck unchanged — the same shape 1 fret higher is the chord a semitone above.

1 of the 4 need a barre.

2 strings stay silent.

Where its notes are on the neck

EADGBE123456789101112b51b31b3b5b3b511b3b51b3b5b51b3
Fig. 6 — first 12 frets

The brass dots are C, the root. Everything else is a chord tone with its degree printed in it.

With a different note underneath

4
first inversion

Cdim/E♭

x6454x

2
second inversion

Cdim/G♭

xx4542

An inversion is the same chord with a different note lowest. The name changes to a slash name because the bass is what a listener hears as the foundation.

C in other shapes

CmajorCmminorCaugaugmentedC5power chordCsus2suspended secondCsus4suspended fourth

C♯dimD♭dimDdimD♯dimE♭dimEdimFdimF♯dimall 374