Learn-by-doing lessons for quickly internalizing the Diminished Triads in all spellings… by ear, intellect, eye and muscle…
Table of Contents
Lesson Goal
To quickly internalize the Diminished Triads in all spellings… using all four musical intelligences.
Prerequisites
Basic music reading skills… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.
C Diminished Triad Theory & Ear Training
- Chord symbol: Cdim or C°.
- Chord structure: 1-b3-b5.
- Character: Dissonant, tense, unstable, anticipatory.
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Common Uses for Diminished Triads
Common uses (using Roman Numeral Analysis) for Diminished Triads include, but are not limited to, the following:
- vii° in Major or Minor tonality.
- Secondary Dominant vii°/x (Tonicization).
- I° in Major tonality, that typically resolved to a I chord.
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Diminished Triads, All Spellings
Here are the chord symbols, spellings, common usages, and keyboard layouts for all the diminished triads…
Sidebar advice from Frank: Simply learn to spell each chord just as you spell any three-letter word in English. For example, you spell cat C-A-T and dog D-O-G. Likewise, you spell a C° chord C-Eb-Gb and D° chord D-F-Ab.
C Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: C° of Cdim.
- Spelling: C-Eb-Gb.
- Common Usage: vii° in Db Major.
C Sharp Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: C#° or C#dim.
- Spelling: C#-E-G.
- Common Usage: vii° in D Major or D minor.
D Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: D° or Ddim.
- Spelling: D-F-Ab.
- Common Usage: vii° in Eb Major or Eb Minor.
D Sharp Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: D#° or D#dim.
- Spelling: D#-F#-A.
- Common Usage: vii° in E Major or E Minor.
E Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: E° or Edim.
- Spelling: E-G-Bb.
- Common Usage: vii° in F Major or F Minor.
E Sharp Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: E#° or E#dim.
- Spelling: E#-G#-B.
- Common Usage: vii° in F# Minor.
F Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: F° or Fdim.
- Spelling: F-Ab-Cb.
- Common Usage: vii° in Gb Major.
F Sharp Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: F#° or F#dim.
- Spelling: F#-A-C.
- Common Usage: vii° in G Major or G Minor
F Double Sharp Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: Fx° or Fxdim.
- Spelling: Fx-A#-C#.
- Common Usage: vii° in G# Minor.
G Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: G° or Gdim.
- Spelling: G-Bb-Db.
- Common Usage: vii° in Ab Major.
G Sharp Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: G#° or G#dim.
- Spelling: G#-B-D.
- Common Usage: vii° in A Major.
A Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: A° or Adim.
- Spelling: A-C-Eb.
- Common Usage: vii° in Bb Major or Bb Minor.
A Sharp Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: A#° or A#dim.
- Spelling: A#-C#-E.
- Common Usage: vii° in B Major or B Minor.
B Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: B° or Bdim.
- Spelling: B-D-F.
- Common Usage: vii° in C Major or C Minor.
B Sharp Diminished Triad
- Chord Symbol: B#° or B#dim.
- Spelling: B#-D#-F#.
- Common Usage: vii° in C# Minor.
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