What Are Diminished Chords?

► Music Theory tutorials : https://www.adsrsounds.com/category/music-theory-tutorials/

What Makes Diminished Chords Awesome?

You’ve probably heard about diminished chords before, they’re almost exactly like Minor chords but with a lowered 5th, or in fancy music theory terms a “flat 5”.

When you first stumble up on these chords they sound just like your typical old fashioned horror movie, but don’t let it fool you! Diminished chords have a lot more uses than just that, and you’ll find them in pretty much any developed music genre.

This video shows how to use diminished chords to modulate to new keys or, in more general terms, to change the direction of your music. In order to do so we need to make sure we all understand a few core concepts:

0:07 Introduction
0:39 Example
1:26 How regular Major & Minor chords work
2:55 The V chord and Resolution
3:34 The V7 Chord (Dominant Seventh Chords)
4:34 Diminished Chords
5:12 Diminished 7th Chords
6:18 Modulating with Diminished Chords

When learning how to play a piano or guitar, some of the most important chords to understand are diminished chords. Diminished chords are typically used to create suspense or tension in music compositions, making them important for musicians to understand.

A diminished chord is formed with a root note, a flattened third and a flattened fifth. This combination of notes creates an eery sound that can give a sense of tension. Diminished chords are often used to transition from one section of a song to the next or to add a bit of drama and movement to a composition.

When used appropriately, diminished chords can be very effective in taking the listener on a musical journey. Diminished chords can be used in both major and minor keys and due to their darker tone, they are often used as a contrast to the more cheerful sounding major and minor chords.

One of the most common uses of diminished chords is in jazz, blues and funk music. By using diminished chords, it adds a sense of drama, excitement and unpredictability to the music. It can also add a bit of unpredictability and tension to the tune.

Unlike major and minor chords, learning how to use diminished chords effectively requires a lot of practice. Learning the fingering for them is essential to be able to play them properly. However, the reward of mastering this important chord is worth the effort.

By understanding what diminished chords are and exploring how to use them in a composition, musicians can create very powerful and dramatic pieces of music. Diminished chords truly help to add flavor, texture and emotion to music making them a must know for any musician.