C Diminished Triads on Guitar: Every Inversion on Every String Set

A C diminished triad is C, E♭ and G♭ (1 ♭3 ♭5). It has three arrangements, root position, first inversion and second inversion, and each can be played on four groups of three strings: all twelve shapes are below.

Keys

Triads — C°

Root position

11C shape
2A shape
4G shape
7E shape

The notes of C°

C diminished is two minor thirds stacked, so the outer notes are a diminished fifth (six frets) apart. Root position puts C at the bottom (C, E♭ and G♭); first inversion puts E♭ at the bottom (E♭, G♭ and C); second inversion puts G♭ at the bottom (G♭, C and E♭).

C° on every string set

On the low E, A and D strings: root position from the fourth to the eighth fret, first inversion from the ninth to the eleventh fret and second inversion from the first to the third fret.

C° triad, root position, on the low E, A and D strings: C (root) on the low E string, fret 8; E flat on the A string, fret 6; G flat on the D string, fret 4.
Root position
C° triad, first inversion, on the low E, A and D strings: E flat on the low E string, fret 11; G flat on the A string, fret 9; C (root) on the D string, fret 10.
First inversion
C° triad, second inversion, on the low E, A and D strings: G flat on the low E string, fret 2; C (root) on the A string, fret 3; E flat on the D string, fret 1.
Second inversion

On the A, D and G strings: root position from the eleventh to the fifteenth fret, first inversion from the fourth to the sixth fret and second inversion from the eighth to the tenth fret.

C° triad, root position, on the A, D and G strings: C (root) on the A string, fret 15; E flat on the D string, fret 13; G flat on the G string, fret 11.
Root position
C° triad, first inversion, on the A, D and G strings: E flat on the A string, fret 6; G flat on the D string, fret 4; C (root) on the G string, fret 5.
First inversion
C° triad, second inversion, on the A, D and G strings: G flat on the A string, fret 9; C (root) on the D string, fret 10; E flat on the G string, fret 8.
Second inversion

On the D, G and B strings: root position from the seventh to the tenth fret, first inversion from the eleventh to the thirteenth fret and second inversion from the fourth to the fifth fret.

C° triad, root position, on the D, G and B strings: C (root) on the D string, fret 10; E flat on the G string, fret 8; G flat on the B string, fret 7.
Root position
C° triad, first inversion, on the D, G and B strings: E flat on the D string, fret 13; G flat on the G string, fret 11; C (root) on the B string, fret 13.
First inversion
C° triad, second inversion, on the D, G and B strings: G flat on the D string, fret 4; C (root) on the G string, fret 5; E flat on the B string, fret 4.
Second inversion

On the G, B and high e strings: root position from the second to the fifth fret, first inversion from the seventh to the eighth fret and second inversion from the eleventh to the thirteenth fret.

C° triad, root position, on the G, B and high e strings: C (root) on the G string, fret 5; E flat on the B string, fret 4; G flat on the high e string, fret 2.
Root position
C° triad, first inversion, on the G, B and high e strings: E flat on the G string, fret 8; G flat on the B string, fret 7; C (root) on the high e string, fret 8.
First inversion
C° triad, second inversion, on the G, B and high e strings: G flat on the G string, fret 11; C (root) on the B string, fret 13; E flat on the high e string, fret 11.
Second inversion

Where the inversions sit in the CAGED shapes

The practice pad above shows C°'s triads inside each CAGED shape. Use the R, 2, 3 and V switches to see each arrangement:

  • Root position: C shape (from the eleventh fret), A shape (from the second fret), G shape (from the fourth fret) and E shape (from the seventh fret).
  • First inversion: C shape (from the eleventh fret), A shape (from the fourth fret) and E shape (from the seventh fret).
  • Second inversion: C shape (from the eleventh fret), A shape (from the fourth fret) and E shape (from the eighth fret).

Where C° appears

Written out, C° uses two flats (E♭ and G♭), so it sits most naturally in flat keys.

C° belongs to 4 keys: vii° in D♭ major (five flats); ii° in B♭ minor (five flats); vii° in C♯ harmonic minor (four sharps, written B♯ diminished in that key) and ii° in B♭ harmonic minor (five flats).

Open strings and capo options for C°

No open string is a note of C°, so every voicing on this page is fully fretted and there's nothing to let ring.

The C° symmetry

C° is two minor thirds. Add a third minor third and you get a diminished seventh chord, which divides the octave into four and repeats every three frets: C°, D♯°, F♯° and A° all sit inside the same diminished seventh. Each one is the vii° chord of a different harmonic minor key, the key a semitone above its root: C° in C♯ harmonic minor (four sharps, where it's written B♯°), D♯° in E harmonic minor (one sharp), F♯° in G harmonic minor (two flats) and A° in B♭ harmonic minor (five flats).

A diminished triad is unstable: C°'s root is a semitone below D♭, and that's the chord it most wants to move to.

C° triad FAQs

What notes are in a C diminished triad?

C, E♭ and G♭. The formula is 1 ♭3 ♭5.

What is the first inversion of C°?

E♭, G♭ and C, with E♭ in the bass. On the G, B and high e strings it sits at the eighth fret, the seventh fret and the eighth fret.

How many C° triad shapes are there?

Twelve to learn: root position and two inversions on each of the four three-string sets. They repeat twelve frets higher.

Learn more

How to use guitar triads explains inversions and how to use them in rhythm parts and solos, and triads on all string sets goes through each set in turn. The triad library has every chord.