Learn › D Diminished 7th Chord on Piano (Ddim7)
New Released in April 2026
D Diminished 7th Chord on Piano (Ddim7)
Ddim7, the D diminished 7th chord, stacks F, Ab and Cb on top of D. Four keys, formula 1 b3 b5 bb7: the Ddim triad plus Cb. Here you will find its inversions, both hands and the chords it belongs with.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
D diminished 7th chord inversions
In the 3rd inversion Cb is the lowest note: the seventh in the bass.
Root position: D F Ab Cb
1st inversion: F Ab Cb D
2nd inversion: Ab Cb D F
3rd inversion: Cb D F Ab
Ddim7 fingering, both hands
| Hand | D | F | Ab | Cb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 (thumb) | 2 | 3 | 5 (little) |
| Left hand | 5 (little) | 3 | 2 | 1 (thumb) |
Too much stretch? Play D alone in the left hand and F Ab Cb in the right.
A three-note Ddim7
Root, third, seventh: D F Cb. It is the shape to learn first, and it moves smoothly to the next chord.
How Ddim7 differs from the other 7th chords on D
Same root, same fifth: watch the third and the seventh.
Where Ddim7 goes
- Ddim7 is the vii°7 chord of Eb minor: it pulls up one key, Ddim7 → Eb / Ebm.
- Every note is three keys above the one before, so Ddim7, Fdim7, Abdim7 and Bdim7 use the same four keys.
- That even spacing is why Ddim7 sounds tense, dramatic and can lead to several different chords.
- Cb is the same key as B.
vii°7 → i: Ddim7 → Ebm
Learning Ddim7 step by step
- Play D, F, Ab, Cb slowly in root position and say "Ddim7" each time.
- Walk up through the inversions (F Ab Cb D, Ab Cb D F, Cb D F Ab) without lifting the whole hand.
- Loop Ddim7 → Ebm until the change into and out of Ddim7 is clean.
- Finally meet it in random order between other chords, with a check on every note.
A few minutes every day on Ddim7 beat one long session a week.
Practise Ddim7 by playing
ChordRunner sends Ddim7 at you between other chords and checks every note you play. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
Play the demoCommon questions
What notes are in the D diminished 7th chord?
Ddim7 has four notes: D, F, Ab, Cb. Root, minor third, diminished fifth and diminished seventh (formula 1 b3 b5 bb7).
What are the inversions of Ddim7?
Root position D F Ab Cb, 1st inversion F Ab Cb D, 2nd inversion Ab Cb D F and 3rd inversion Cb D F Ab. Every position is still Ddim7.
Where does Ddim7 go?
Ddim7 is the vii°7 chord of Eb minor: it pulls up one key, Ddim7 → Eb / Ebm. Every note is three keys above the one before, so Ddim7, Fdim7, Abdim7 and Bdim7 use the same four keys.
Can I practise Ddim7 with a MIDI keyboard?
Yes. In ChordRunner a USB MIDI keyboard is detected automatically, and an acoustic piano works through the microphone. Ddim7 counts in any inversion, as long as D, F, Ab, Cb sound together.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
Try the demoKeep learning
Piano Chord Chart: Every Chord in All 12 Keys
Piano chord chart with the notes of 288 chords: major, minor, 7ths, 9ths, sus and more in all 12 keys. Click a…
D7 Chord on Piano (D Dominant 7th)
The D dominant 7th chord (D7 chord) on piano: notes D F# A C, inversions, shell voicing and its ii-V-I.…
D Minor 7th Chord on Piano (Dm7)
The D minor 7th chord (Dm7 chord) on piano: notes D F A C, inversions, shell voicing and its ii-V-I.…
D Major 7th Chord on Piano (Dmaj7)
How to play the D major 7th chord (Dmaj7 chord) on piano: D F# A C#, both hands, four inversions, three-note v…
D Half-Diminished Chord on Piano (Dm7b5)
How to play the D half-diminished 7th chord (Dm7b5 chord) on piano: D F Ab C, both hands, four inversions, thr…
Seventh Chords: The 5 Types Explained
Seventh chords explained: major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 7th, half-diminished and diminished 7th, with formula…