Piano Diagram of Eb dim in Root Position
The Eb dim chord is the diminished triad built upon the E-flat key. It is built by combining the Root note (Eb), the minor 3rd (Gb), and the diminished 5th notes (Bbb, which is equivalent to A) from the E scale. Keep reading to learn more about the music theory behind this chord.
Structure of Eb dim
Notes |
|---|
| Eb, Gb, Bbb |
Intervals |
|---|
| R, m3, d5 |
Fingers Position
Left Hand |
|---|
| 4, 2, 1
5, 3, 1 |
Right Hand |
|---|
| 1, 2, 4
2, 3, 5 |
Eb dim Chord Inversions
The Eb dim chord has a total of 2 inversions:
| Root Position: | Eb | Gb | Bbb |
| 1st Inversion: | Gb | Bbb | Eb |
| 2nd Inversion: | Bbb | Eb | Gb |
Piano Keyboard Diagrams
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- Eb dim Chord – Root Position
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- Eb dim Chord – 1st Inversion
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- Eb dim Chord – 2nd Inversion
Music Theory and Harmony of Eb diminished
What are Diminished Chords?
In music theory, diminished chords are classified as triads just like major, minor, and augmented chords. A diminished triad is a chord that has a root note, a minor 3rd, and a diminished 5th. They are often abbreviated with a small circle (°) or the letters “dim”. For example, an A diminished chord would be written as A° or Adim.
The interval between the root and the diminished 5th is called a “tritone” and creates a dissonant sound that adds tension and instability. Diminished triads are commonly used as transitional chords, leading to more stable chords.
Different types of Diminished Chords
- Diminished triads are usually considered unstable and are often used as transitional chords that create tension and lead to a more stable chord.
- There are also diminished seventh chords, which include an added diminished seventh interval above the root note. These chords are often written as °7 or dim7. They can also be used as a substitute for dominant 7th chords.
- Additionally, there are half-diminished chords (also known as minor seventh flat five chords), which include a minor seventh interval instead of a diminished seventh.
But for now, let’s explore the simpler diminished triad in the key of Eb.
Building the Eb dim Chord: Different Approaches
Starting from a Major Scale
To build a diminished chord, you begin by selecting the root note, the 3rd note, and the 5th note of the major scale. Next, you lower the 3rd and the 5th note by one half-step.
Eb Major Scale
Eb Major Scale – Keyless Notation
So, if you want to build an Eb diminished chord, you would start with the Eb major chord, which consists of the notes Eb, G, and Bb. Then, you would lower the third note, G, by one half-step to get Gb and lower the fifth note, Bb, by one more half-step to get A (in order to maintain the consistency of the chord structure, we refer to this note as Bbb instead).
The resulting notes, Eb, Gb, and Bbb form the Eb diminished chord.
by Combining 3rds
Alternatively, a diminished chord can be built by stacking two minor 3rd intervals on top of each other. To get this chord, you begin with the root note and then raise it by a minor 3rd. Next, you raise the third note by another minor 3rd. The resulting chord will consist of three notes that are spaced an equal distance apart.
m3 + m3 = diminished Chords
To form an Eb dim chord, you start with the root note Eb and raise it by a minor 3rd to Gb. Then, you raise the third note Gb by another minor 3rd to A (Bbb). This results in an Eb dim chord consisting of the notes Eb, Gb, and Bbb.
Eb dim in a Chord Progression
Harmonic functions describe how chords sound together in a specific key and context. In Western music, there are seven main harmonic functions, one for each note of the diatonic scale. Major chords are represented by capitalized Roman numerals, while minor chords are represented by lowercase ones.
The tables below display the enharmonic equivalent keys for the Db minor scale and its relative major scale, which are theoretical keys that include an Eb diminished chord. In the Db minor scale, the Eb diminished chord is found on the second scale degree (II), while in the Fb major scale, it is found on the seventh scale degree (VII). However, due to the high number of accidentals in these keys, it is more practical to refer to their enharmonic equivalent keys.
For a more comprehensive list of the uses of the Db diminished chord, please refer to the dim7 tables, where I discuss some of the features of these chords in greater detail.
on Natural minor Scale
| Minor Scale | i | ii | III | iv | v | VI | VII |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Db = C# | C# min | D# dim = Eb dim | E Maj | F# min | G# min | A Maj | B Maj |
- Supertonic chord in C# minor
on Major Scale
| Major Scale | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fb = E | E Maj | F# min | G# min | A Maj | B Maj | C# min | D# dim = Eb dim |
- Leading tone chord in F Major
Eb dim in Db Minor
Check D# dim in C# Minor
Eb dim in Fb Major
Check D# in E Major
Alternative Names for Eb Diminished
- Eb°
- Ebdim
- Eb diminished
- E-flat diminished