The E♭ Diminished 7th chord is a four-note chord made up of E♭, G♭, B♭♭, and D♭♭. It is built from a root, minor third, diminished fifth, and diminished seventh.
Construction
E♭ Diminished 7th = Root + Minor 3rd + Diminished 5th + Major 6th = E♭ · G♭ · B♭♭ · D♭♭
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| E♭ | Root | 1 |
| G♭ | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| B♭♭ | Diminished 5th | ♭5 |
| D♭♭ | Major 6th | 6 |
E♭ Diminished 7th Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | E♭ – G♭ – B♭♭ – D♭♭ |
| 1st Inversion | G♭ – B♭♭ – D♭♭ – E♭ |
| 2nd Inversion | B♭♭ – D♭♭ – E♭ – G♭ |
| 3rd Inversion | D♭♭ – E♭ – G♭ – B♭♭ |
Key Signature
A Diminished 7th chord is built from symmetrical or ambiguous intervals, so it doesn’t belong to a single key and has no key signature of its own.
Same Notes, Other Names
The notes E♭ – G♭ – B♭♭ – D♭♭ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell the following:
E♭ Diminished 7th — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the E♭ Diminished 7th chord on piano?
The E♭ Diminished 7th chord contains the notes E♭ – G♭ – B♭♭ – D♭♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the Eb Diminished 7th chord?
The Eb Diminished 7th chord (Ebdim7) contains four notes: Eb (root), Gb (minor third), Bbb (diminished fifth, enharmonically A), and Dbb (diminished seventh, enharmonically C). All four notes are spaced exactly 3 semitones apart.
How does Eb Diminished 7th differ from Eb Diminished?
Eb Diminished is a three-note triad (Eb, Gb, Bbb). Eb Diminished 7th adds Dbb/C as the diminished seventh. This completes the symmetrical structure and adds harmonic tension.
Why is the Diminished 7th chord symmetrical?
Every note in Ebdim7 is exactly 3 semitones from the next. Ebdim7 contains the same pitches as Cdim7, Gbdim7, and Adim7 — they are all inversions of the same four notes.
How is Eb Diminished 7th used in music?
Ebdim7 functions as a passing chord or leading-tone chord. As the vii°7 of E, it resolves up by half step to E Major or E minor. It creates smooth chromatic connections between diatonic chords.
What songs use Diminished 7th chords?
Diminished 7th chords appear in Michelle (Beatles), throughout Chopin and Beethoven for dramatic tension, and in jazz standards for chromatic passing. The suspenseful quality made dim7 a staple of film scoring.
How many unique Diminished 7th chords exist?
Only three. Ebdim7 shares its notes with Cdim7, Gbdim7, and Adim7 — all inversions of the same chord. The other two unique dim7 groups are Dbdim7 and Ddim7.