Skip to content
Chord & Fret

Cdim7 on electric guitar

Cdim7 on electric guitar — frets × 3 4 2 4 ×Cdim72314×CGbAEb×
Frets: × 3 4 2 4 ×

On the electric guitar a chord needs only a few clear notes — the amp sustains them and fills the space, so you mute the strings you are not playing and let the tone carry the rest. In this Cdim7 voicing the bass is C and the shape runs from fret 2 to 4. Plugged into an amp, each chord sustains for as long as you hold it, and the tone — clean or driven — shapes the whole sound.

Notes in Cdim7: C – Eb – Gb – AFormula: 1 – b3 – b5 – bb7

In the formula, the numbers count steps of the major scale starting from the note that names the chord; "b" lowers a half step, "#" raises one — and a slash names the bass note.

Where to use it: Between two neighbouring chords it acts as a half-step stair: in C → C#°DmDmDmDm it is the little step that pushes the music forward. In practice it is a passing chord — you barely notice it, but you feel the motion.

This is just one shape of Cdim7 on electric guitar. In Chord & Fret, you check it note by note, playing any shape as an arpeggio; open every variation on the neck, grouped by bass note; and set a capo — the diagrams redraw above it. Start free. Unlock everything with Pro. Plays offline.

See the whole neck in Chord & Fret →

Part of the Sevenths family.

See the full explanation of Cdim7 →