E Flat Diminished Chord on the Guitar (Eb dim) – Diagrams, Finger Positions, Theory

The E flat diminished chord (Eb dim or Eb°) contains the notes Eb, Gb and Bbb. It is produced by taking the 1st, flat 3rd and flat 5th notes of the E flat Major scale.

A diminished often appears as Eb dim or Eb°.

The diminished chord played by itself has a dissonant sound. This is largely due to the existence of the tritone interval, which is otherwise known as the devil’s interval. The E flat diminished chord contains a tritone between the notes Eb and Bbb.

Even though the E flat diminished chord sounds dissonant on its own, it can sound beautiful when played in the right context. Pairing the Eb diminished chord with the E Major chord, for example, creates a sense of tension and release, which works well. A good exercise is to switch between the E flat diminished chord and the Eb Major chord and hear for yourself how this sounds

10 Ways To Play The E Flat Diminished Chord

If you’ve come to this page just to view some chord diagrams for Eb diminished, here they are.

E Flat Diminished Chord 10 Shapes

Some Quick E Flat Diminished Chord Theory

  • The E flat diminished chord contains the notes Eb, Gb and Bbb.
  • The E flat diminished chord is produced by taking the 1 (root), b3 and b5 of the Eb Major scale.
  • The Eb diminished chord (just like all diminished chords) contains the following intervals (starting from the root note): minor 3rd, minor 3rd, tritone (which leads back to the root note).
  • Eb diminished resolves naturally to the E chord.
  • Eb diminished can be written as Eb dim or Eb°.
  • The Eb locrian scale can be used when soloing over the E flat diminished chord.

Further Reading

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