E Diminished Chord

How to play the E Diminished Chord on the piano

Let’s go through some charts that will familiarize you with the E Diminished Chord and how to play it in the various forms you will encounter in pieces of music. First, we’ll look at the fundamental chord and its inversions; then, we’ll explore some more complex voicings.

The E Diminished Chord in root position

In root position, the notes of the E diminished chord are stacked in thirds with E on the bottom. The appearance on the staff is evenly spaced, as is the feeling of the space in between your fingers while playing.

E Diminished Chord in root position
Note Order	E G B♭
Left Hand Fingering	5 3 1
Right Hand Fingering	1 3 5
Chord Symbol	Edim or E°

The E Diminished Chord in first inversion

In first inversion, the third of the chord (G) becomes the bottom note, and the root (E) jumps up to the top.

E Diminished Chord in 1^st inversion
Note Order	G B♭ E
Left Hand Fingering	5 3 1
Right Hand Fingering	1 2 5
Chord Symbol	E°⁶ or E°/G

The E Diminished Chord in second inversion

In second inversion, the fifth of the chord (B♭) is on the bottom, and the third of the chord (G) goes to the top.

E Diminished Chord in 2^nd inversion
Note Order	B♭ E G
Left Hand Fingering	5 2 1
Right Hand Fingering	1 3 5
Chord Symbol	E°^6/4 or E°/B♭

E Diminished Chord theory and function

A diminished chord stacks two minor thirds, and the result is tense and unsettled. It is never a place to rest. It behaves like a dominant 7th chord with the root missing, so it wants to move.

The E diminished chord is the leading-tone chord (vii°) in F major. In minor keys, it is the leading-tone chord (vii°) in F minor and the supertonic (ii°) in D minor.

The notes E, G, and B♭ are the top three notes of C7, so the chord leads to F the way C7 does. A common use is as a passing chord over a rising bass line, I – vii°6 – I6: F – E°/G – F/A, so the bass walks F, G, A. Try playing E° and then F and listen to how the tension settles.