Inversions
(root position)
Notes and intervals
| 1 | C | Root |
| 2 | E flat | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | G flat | Diminished 5th |
| 4 | B double flat | 7d |
About the C diminished seven chord
The C diminished seven chord is a C diminished seventh built from C, E flat, G flat, B double flat. It sits outside the plain diatonic set, so it is borrowed to add color and tension. Tap the keys or frets above to hear each note, or press Play chord to hear them together.
Other C chords
Simpler triads
Suspended
Sixths and sevenths
Extensions
Altered
Functional relationships
These chords are where this one most naturally comes from and resolves to inside a key.
The relative major uses the same notes and key signature, so it works as a brighter home base.
The parallel major keeps the same root note but raises the third, giving the same key a brighter, happier sound.
The dominant is a fifth above the root, and it builds tension that pulls strongly back to this chord.
The subdominant is a fourth above the root (a fifth below), and it usually leads on to the dominant or back home.
The tritone substitution stands in for this chord's dominant with a dominant seventh a half step above the root, which slides down by a half step to resolve here.
What do the colors mean?
Every note has its own fixed color, laid out around the circle of fifths. Once you know the colors, chords and scales turn into patterns you can recognize at a glance.
There is so much more to explore
Play any chord or scale, transpose it, and watch it move around the color wheel in the free Chord Colors app.
Get the free Chord Colors app