What Are Diminished Chords & How to Use Them - Guitar Lesson

Hello friends,
And welcome back to Swiftlessons for another music theory tutorial! In today’s lesson we’ll be discussing the three types of diminished chords: how they are built using the major scale, and how they can be performed in the key of C. These shapes work very well as passing chords, and are often used in jazz and blues composition. Let's get started!

PDF study guide for this tutorial at:
______________________________________________________________

Links:

[INGLEASY]

Thanks so much for this lesson, it was so clear and easy to follow! Keep up the great job!

[churrosconcafe]

Best video online on dim chords. Subscribed!

[quicklooksentertainment]

Aloha* SWif tLessons, You are one of the best teachers I've come across! You understand the view of the student's perspective with the knowledge of a teacher, which is a gift. Soon as I watched this for 2 minutes, I already knew you were going to provide a "Practical" and "Comprehensive" lesson to the end. Therefore, I clicked the subscribe and like, and will follow you on your channel and website.
I liked that you broke-up your lesson into three segments: 1st, overview [what's] going to be presented; 2nd, demonstrate and explain [how] to start, [where] to use; and [why] it is used with the "Application" as in 2 actual songs we can practice with....btw, I've always wanted to learn Black Orpheus, but never knew the progression. This is why your approach is very useful to many.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Blessings to you.

[Cafeman_D]

Very helpful lesson on diminished chords and a start at how to use them.

[abhijithcpreej]

Very well explained. Also gave fun practice chords. Nicely done

[theclassicrock]

Really loved and appreciate your lesson.thanks a lot for such a great guiter tutorial.

[Darth-shaman]

Thanks, that was a very good explanation. Good job.

[vincentprice]

Great lesson. Just what I was looking for.

[nicolen.]

Thank you Rob for explaining👍👍👍. I know only Fdim 🤕... still learning.
Cheers! 🎶🎶🎶

[bobbymcloughlin]

Diminished Triad = 1 b3 b5
Diminished Sixth = 1 b3 b5 bb6
Diminished Dominant 7 = 1 b3 b5 bb7
Diminished Major 7 = 1 b3 b5 b7
Diminished Augmented 7 = 1 b3 b5 7
Half-Diminished = 1 d2 b3 d4 b5 bd6 bb7 bd8
Half-Diminished Triad = 1 d2 b3
Half-Diminished Tetrad = 1 d2 b3 d4

d = Half-Flat

[Jeronimo]

Great lesson, simply taught. Thanks. 👍

[davidlegalley]

Very helpful, simple explanations and clear demonstration of the diminished chord! Thank you for your video lesson. 👍🏽👍🏽

[erc]

You mind reader! I needed this thanks🙏

[willplayforbeer]

Awesome man. This connected the dots for me.

[andrewdatar]

The best explanation on youtube! Crystal clear how to go from major triad, to diminished triad, to half diminished chord, and to full diminished chord.

Though it still not clear for me rational of flatenning b7 second time (for full diminished). We do this for what? To spice up the chord with additional note?

What about applying this to other chords?
If we have C7 chord (C chord with b7) - by flatening b7 - we will have C6 chord. Or in other words, standard C chord with added 6 degree.

Is this the same logic for full diminished or it is different?

What if we continue to flatten flatted b7 in fully diminished? Would it be triple flatted 7, or b6? Would it be still diminished chord?

[garymarullo]

Very useful. Thank you. Incorporating some of this into an original song!

[bobbymcloughlin]

8:17 Diminished Major 7 = m7b5 = dim∆7 = Diminished Tetrad (Diatonic)
8:18 Diminished Dominant 7 = dim7 = dimV7 = Diminished Tetrad


dim7 = dimV7

m7b5 = dim∆7


Half-Diminished is a Chord That is Stacked with Intervals of Neutral Seconds (3 Quarter-Notes)
Half-Diminished is a Diminished Chord that is Stacked with Quarter-Note Intervals, Not m7b5
m7b5 is Stacked with Minor Thirds, Therefore it is a Diminished Chord, A Diminished Tetrad (Diatonic)

[robertjames]

Great stuff! Always learn new things to advance my playing skills

[Renadish]

Based on what you said, I wrote down the following, , but i feel like something is wrong. Please correct me:

The open A chord has the following notes:
A
C#
E

And A7 has “G” as well.

Ok now going to the three versions of diminished, the notes would be like this:

Basic:
A
C
D#

Half:
A
C
D#
F#

Full:
A
C
D#
F (cause we flattened twice so it went from G originally to F)

Right???

[robertryanmason]

Swift thank you. So is that full diminished shape, that you did for the C, just moveable down the fret board?