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Triads

C Diminished chord

Two stacked minor thirds. Tense and unresolved, it usually works as a passing chord that pushes somewhere else.

Notes in C Diminished

Notes and intervals of the C Diminished chord
NoteIntervalSemitones from root
CRoot0
D#Minor 3rd3
F#Tritone6

Formula: 0–3–6 semitones above the root. Move the whole shape up or down and you get the same chord in another key — that is why Diminished chords sound alike no matter where they start.

Other chords on C

Want to hear C Diminished inside a progression? Load a key in the chord progression generator or browse the scales reference.

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