E diminished chord on piano (Edim)
Edim is E, G and B♭. E is the white key just right of the pair of black keys. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.
root position · E–G–B♭ · right hand 1-3-5
- Notes
- E · G · B♭
- Formula
- 1 · ♭3 · ♭5
How to play Edim on piano
Count keys (black and white) from E: 3 half steps up to G then 3 half steps up to B♭. Press the 3 keys together and that's Edim.
- Right hand: 1 on E, 3 on G and 5 on B♭.
- Left hand: 5 on E, 3 on G and 1 on B♭.
- On the keyboard it's white, white and black keys, the same pattern as Ddim and Adim, so your hand shape carries over.
Edim inversions
- root position: E–G–B♭. RH 1-3-5.
- 1st inversion: G–B♭–E, with G at the bottom. Fingers 1-2-5.
- 2nd inversion: B♭–E–G (B♭ in the bass). Fingers 1-3-5.
Nobody plays every chord in root position. The inversions let Edim sit wherever the previous chord left your hand.
Changing from Edim to the chords around it
These are the changes you'll meet most often with Edim, using the first shape of each chord.
- F (leads up a half step): Edim to F: play F in root position (F–A–C), while E moves up to F, G up to A and B♭ up to C. F on piano
- Fm (leads up a half step): Edim to Fm: play Fm in root position (F–A♭–C), while E moves up to F, G up to A♭ and B♭ up to C. Fm on piano
- Am (iii in F major): Edim to Am: play Am in 2nd inversion (E–A–C) and E stays under the same finger, while G moves up to A and B♭ up to C. Am on piano
Edim is a diminished triad: two minor thirds stacked. Edim rarely stays long; it's a passing chord that usually climbs a half step to the next chord. The one-by-one button above makes that quality easy to hear.
Getting Edim under your fingers
Start with a broken chord, E G B♭ G E, then play it solid. Then climb the inversions: E–G–B♭, then G–B♭–E, then B♭–E–G.
The keys of Edim
Edim is a diminished chord, 1–♭3–♭5 from E. Root position, from the bottom: how Edim is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| G | white key | RH 3 · LH 3 | minor third |
| B♭ | black key | RH 5 · LH 1 | diminished fifth |
Keys and progressions with Edim
Edim on guitar and ukulele
Edim on guitar and ukulele uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.
Close to Edim
Other diminished chords
Edim on piano: questions
What notes are in Edim on piano?
E, G and B♭: E (white key), G (white key) and B♭ (black key). Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1.
How do you play Edim on piano?
Press E, G and B♭ together (1 black, 2 white). Right hand: 1 on E, 3 on G and 5 on B♭.
What are the inversions of Edim?
1st inversion (G–B♭–E) and 2nd inversion (B♭–E–G), after root position (E–G–B♭). Only the lowest note changes.
What does Edim look like on the keyboard?
white, white and black keys, the same pattern as Ddim and Adim, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Edim. Updated September 2026.