D diminished seventh arpeggio on guitar
The D diminished seventh arpeggio (D°7) has 4 notes: D, F, A♭, C♭ (D, F, A flat, and C flat), degrees 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7 of the chord. On guitar it fits the 5 shapes of the CAGED system, always root to root: two octaves in the G and E shapes and one octave in the D, C, and A shapes.
- D 1
- F ♭3
- A♭ A flat ♭5
- C♭ C flat ♭♭7
C♭ is the correct spelling in the chord formula; on the instrument it is the same note as B.
Whole neck: every note of the arpeggio up to fret 15. The root (D) is highlighted.
Positions as text
D shape (frets 0 to 3), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: open (D), 3 (F)
- string 3: 1 (A♭)
- string 2: open (C♭), 3 (D)
C shape (frets 1 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 5: 5 (D)
- string 4: 3 (F)
- string 3: 1 (A♭), 4 (C♭)
- string 2: 3 (D)
A shape (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 5: 5 (D), 8 (F)
- string 4: 6 (A♭)
- string 3: 4 (C♭), 7 (D)
G shape (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 10 (D)
- string 5: 8 (F)
- string 4: 6 (A♭), 9 (C♭)
- string 3: 7 (D), 10 (F)
- string 2: 9 (A♭)
- string 1: 7 (C♭), 10 (D)
E shape (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 10 (D), 13 (F)
- string 5: 11 (A♭)
- string 4: 9 (C♭), 12 (D)
- string 3: 10 (F), 13 (A♭)
- string 2: 12 (C♭)
- string 1: 10 (D)
Positions on the neck
The positions follow the CAGED system: the neck splits into 5 regions, each with the shape of an open chord (C, A, G, E and D) moved to D. In each shape the arpeggio goes from root to root: two octaves in the E and G shapes (root on the 6th string), one octave in the C and A shapes (root on the 5th) and in the D shape (root on the 4th).
The faded notes around a position are chord tones too: use them to extend the arpeggio down or up.
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down, at the tempo you want. With the whole neck, Listen plays the arpeggio from the lowest root.
Diagrams in standard tuning (E A D G B E).
Formula
- D
- 3
- F
- 3
- A♭
- 3
- C♭
- 3
- D
Degrees: 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭♭7 (root, minor third, diminished fifth, diminished seventh). Distance between the notes: 3 – 3 – 3 – 3 semitones, counting the step back to the upper root.
About the diminished seventh chord
The diminished seventh splits the octave into four equal parts: the same shape repeats every 3 frets and the chord has four possible names. A sound of drama and suspense; the classic passing chord of choro, samba, tango and silent-film scores.
The chord and the scale
- D diminished seventh chord (D°7) The chord shapes on guitar, with sound
- D diminished (whole-half) scale The scale to practice with it: it has every note of the arpeggio plus the ones in between.
Other D scales with every note of the arpeggio
More D arpeggios
- Major (D)
- Minor (Dm)
- Seventh (D7)
- Major seventh (D7M)
- Minor seventh (Dm7)
- Half-diminished (Dm7(♭5))
- Diminished seventh (D°7)
- Augmented (D+)
The diminished seventh arpeggio in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the D diminished seventh arpeggio?
The D diminished seventh arpeggio (D°7) has the notes D, F, A flat, and C flat: degrees 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7 of the chord.
How do you play the D diminished seventh arpeggio on guitar?
With the CAGED shapes, each from root to root: D shape (frets 0 to 3, 1 octave), C shape (frets 1 to 5, 1 octave), A shape (frets 4 to 8, 1 octave), G shape (frets 6 to 10, 2 octaves), and E shape (frets 9 to 13, 2 octaves).
Which scale goes with the D diminished seventh arpeggio?
The D diminished (whole-half) scale, which has every note of the arpeggio. These also have all of them: D dominant diminished (half-whole) scale.