Adim Guitar Chord

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Adim is a diminished chord made of A · C · E♭. Two stacked minor 3rds — unstable and tense. The standard shape is a barre chord at fret 1: x0121x (6th string → 1st string, x = don't play, 0 = open string).

Chord charts

Adim

Open position · root on 5th string · x0121x

Adim

Fret 4 · root on 4th string · xx7545 · from fret 4

Adim

Fret 5 barre · root on 6th string · 5675xx · from fret 5

Adim

Fret 7 · root on 4th string · x-x-7-8-10-8 · from fret 7

Adim

Fret 12 · root on 5th string · x-12-13-14-13-x · from fret 12

Index finger on string 4 (D), fret 1.
Middle finger on string 2 (B), fret 1.
Ring finger on string 3 (G), fret 2.
Let string 5 ring open.
Don't play strings 6, 1 (or mute lightly).
Strum down from string 5.

Adim guitar chord chart — fret 1 barre x0121x and 3 more shapes — All Adim shapes on one image — long-press (or right-click) to save it.

Notes in the chord

A
rootC
3rdE♭
5th

Play it easier with a capo

There's no convenient open shape to capo for this chord — the barre shape is the way to go.

Try it: capo on

Keys that use this chord

the vii° chord in Bb major

Scales that fit

A Locrian Mode

Other A chords

A Am A7 Amaj7 Am7 A6 Am6 Asus4 Asus2 A7sus4 Adim Adim7 Am7b5 Aaug Aadd9 A9 Am9 Amaj9

Diminished chords in other keys

Cdim C♯dim Ddim E♭dim Edim Fdim F♯dim Gdim A♭dim Adim B♭dim Bdim

FAQ

What notes are in the Adim chord?

The Adim chord is made of A, C, E♭. Two stacked minor 3rds — unstable and tense.

What's the easiest way to play Adim on guitar?

The standard shape, from the 6th string to the 1st, is x0121x (a barre chord at fret 1). Barre with your index finger and form the shape with the other fingers.

Which scale works for soloing over Adim?

A locrian fits well.

🎸 Transpose a whole chord sheet — Buskermate
Upload a PDF song sheet and Buskermate reads the chords and moves them to any key or capo position (the app is in Korean for now).