C diminished (Cdim) chord on mandolin

Looking for the Cdim chord on mandolin? It is a diminished triad (two minor thirds), made of three notes: C – E♭ – G♭.

Dots show:

Basic shapemedium

Position 4medium

Position 8medium

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What the Cdim chord sounds like

A diminished triad is two stacked minor thirds with a diminished fifth. It sounds tense and unsettled; in a major key it sits on degree vii and leads into the tonic.

Notes of the Cdim chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	C	root
3	E♭	minor third (3 semitones)
5	G♭	diminished fifth (6 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (E): fret 2, middle finger (G♭5)
String 2 (A): fret 3, ring finger (C5)
String 3 (D): fret 1, index finger (E♭4)
String 4 (G): fret 5, little finger (C4)

Position 4

String 1 (E): fret 8, little finger (C6)
String 2 (A): fret 6, ring finger (E♭5)
String 3 (D): fret 4, index finger (G♭4)
String 4 (G): fret 5, middle finger (C4)

Position 8

String 1 (E): fret 8, middle finger (C6)
String 2 (A): fret 9, ring finger (G♭5)
String 3 (D): fret 10, little finger (C5)
String 4 (G): fret 8, index finger (E♭4)

Tuning: G D A E, like a violin; every note is a pair of strings that you fret together. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The Cdim chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

D♭ major: vii°
B♭ minor: ii°

Similar chords and substitutes

If Cdim is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

A♭7 – an incomplete dominant: the diminished chord is the top of this seventh chord
C♯ – where it leads (leading tone → root)

Richer versions

Cdim7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Cm7b5 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Cdim chord?

C, E♭, G♭. The root is C; the intervals of the other notes from the root: minor third, diminished fifth.

What is the easiest way to play Cdim on mandolin?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”. We show 3 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

How is the Cdim chord written?

The chord symbol is Cdim, and its full name is C diminished.