°7

Sevenths · Chord Type

Diminished 7th Chord

Maximum tension. Fully symmetric — every inversion sounds similar.

0 st3 st6 st9 st

How to Hear It

Fully symmetric — four equal minor thirds. Every inversion sounds similar. Maximum tension, used dramatically.

Hear the Diminished 7th Chord

Famous Examples

  • Lightning bolt passages — Liszt
  • The Phantom of the Opera opening

Diminished 7th in All 12 Keys

C°7C#°7D♭°7D°7D#°7E♭°7E°7F°7F#°7G♭°7G°7G#°7A♭°7A°7A#°7B♭°7B°7

Related Sevenths

maj7Major 7thm7Minor 7th7Dominant 7thø7Half Diminished

About the Diminished 7th Chord

Built from the semitone intervals 0, 3, 6, 9 from the root, the diminished 7th chord belongs to the sevenths family and appears across virtually every genre of music.

To train your ear to recognise the diminished 7th chord instantly, practice hearing it in all 12 keys. Use the links above to target specific roots, or open the full recognition trainer.