G Diminished Chord

How to play the G Diminished Chord on the piano

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

In root position, the notes of the G diminished 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 Chord in root position
Note Order	G B♭ D♭
Left Hand Fingering	5 3 1
Right Hand Fingering	1 3 5
Chord Symbol	Gdim or G°

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

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

G 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 G diminished chord is the leading-tone chord (vii°) in A♭ major. In minor keys, it is the supertonic (ii°) in F minor.

The notes G, B♭, and D♭ are the top three notes of E♭7, so the chord leads to A♭ the way E♭7 does. A common use is as a passing chord over a rising bass line, I – vii°6 – I6: A♭ – G°/B♭ – A♭/C, so the bass walks A♭, B♭, C. Try playing G° and then A♭ and listen to how the tension settles.