D diminished

Also written Do · D diminished · Ddim

NotesD · F · A♭
Formula1 · ♭3 · ♭5
D1F♭3A♭♭5
Root position

D° is the vii° of E♭ major — the leading-tone triad — and a dominant with its root taken away: B♭7 without its B♭. That is why it pulls so hard to E♭.

How pianists voice D°

The same notes, laid out the way hands actually play them.

Open triad Spread

D1F♭3A♭♭5

1 · ♭5 · ♭3 — root and 5th below, the 3rd an octave up. The same three notes spread over two octaves: the sound of strings rather than a keyboard.

D° inversions

The same 3 notes with a different one in the bass. Each inversion is written as a slash chord.

Root position

D1F♭3A♭♭5

Root at the bottom, stacked in 3rds: 1 · ♭3 · ♭5.

1st inversion D°/F

F♭3D1A♭♭5

F (the ♭3) in the bass: ♭3 · ♭5 · 1.

2nd inversion D°/A♭

D1F♭3A♭♭5

A♭ (the ♭5) in the bass: ♭5 · 1 · ♭3.

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