G Diminished 7th Chord

How to play the G Diminished 7th Chord on the piano

Let’s go through some charts that will familiarize you with the G Diminished 7th 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 G Diminished 7th Chord in root position

In root position, the notes of the G diminished 7th chord are stacked in thirds with G on the bottom. The appearance on the staff is evenly spaced, as is the feeling of the space in between your fingers while playing.

G Diminished 7th Chord in root position
Note Order	G B♭ D♭ F♭
Left Hand Fingering	5 3 2 1
Right Hand Fingering	1 2 3 5
Chord Symbol	Gdim7 or G°7

The G Diminished 7th Chord in first inversion

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

G Diminished 7th Chord in 1^st inversion
Note Order	B♭ D♭ F♭ G
Left Hand Fingering	5 3 2 1
Right Hand Fingering	1 2 3 5
Chord Symbol	G°^6/5 or G°7/B♭

The G Diminished 7th Chord in second inversion

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

G Diminished 7th Chord in 2^nd inversion
Note Order	D♭ F♭ G B♭
Left Hand Fingering	5 3 2 1
Right Hand Fingering	1 2 3 5
Chord Symbol	G°^4/3 or G°7/D♭

The G Diminished 7th Chord in third inversion

In third inversion, the seventh of the chord (F♭) is on the bottom, and the fifth of the chord (D♭) goes to the top.

G Diminished 7th Chord in 3^rd inversion
Note Order	F♭ G B♭ D♭
Left Hand Fingering	5 3 2 1
Right Hand Fingering	1 2 3 5
Chord Symbol	G°^4/2 or G°7/F♭

G Diminished 7th Chord theory and function

The diminished 7th stacks three minor thirds, and every interval is the same size. That symmetry gives the chord a tense, suspended sound, and it is the most flexible chord for changing keys: the same four notes can lead to four different places.

The G diminished 7th chord is the leading-tone chord (vii°7) in A♭ major.

It works like a dominant 7th chord with a flat ninth and the root missing: G°7 is the upper four notes of E♭7♭9, so it resolves to A♭ the way E♭7 does. It is also a passing chord that slides between two chords: G♭ – G°7 – A♭m7, and the bass line simply climbs by half step. Try playing it once and resolve up a half step from each of its four notes in turn, and listen to how the same chord points to four different keys.