Practice Lab

Guitar · substitutions

Passing diminished chord on guitar

Between the I and the ii, a diminished seventh a half step above the I takes the vi's place: I–♯I°7–ii. The bass climbs by half steps, and the chord works as the ii's V7♭9 without its root.

I–vi–ii–V (1625) in B♭Chords
As writtenB♭maj7 – Gm7 – Cm7 – F7
Passing diminished chordB♭maj7 – Bdim7 – Cm7 – F7

As written

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 5 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, 11String 3, fret 10, 55String 2, fret 10, 77String 1, fret 10, 33
B♭maj7 (I)
Grip x-x-8-10-10-10 · frets 8–10
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, b3b3String 3, fret 10, b7b7String 2, fret 10, 99String 1, fret 10, 55
Gm9 (vi)
Grip x-x-8-10-10-10 · frets 8–10Voiced: ♭3 ♭7 9 5
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, 11String 3, fret 10, 1111String 2, fret 11, b7b7String 1, fret 11, b3b3
Cm7(11) (ii)
Grip x-x-10-10-11-11 · frets 10–11Voiced: 1 11 ♭7 ♭3
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, 11String 3, fret 10, 1111String 2, fret 11, b7b7String 1, fret 11, b3b3
Cm7(11) (ii)
Grip x-x-10-10-11-11 · frets 10–11Voiced: 1 11 ♭7 ♭3
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, 55String 3, fret 10, 11String 2, fret 10, 33String 1, fret 11, b7b7
F7 (V)
Grip x-x-10-10-10-11 · frets 10–11

Top line: D – D – E♭ – E♭

Practice I–vi–ii–V (1625) in B♭ as written

With the passing diminished chord

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 9 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 77String 3, fret 7, 33String 2, fret 6, 55String 1, fret 8, 99
B♭maj9 (I)
Grip x-x-7-7-6-8 · frets 6–8Voiced: 7 3 5 9
678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 6, bb7bb7String 3, fret 7, b3b3String 2, fret 6, b5b5String 1, fret 7, 11
Bdim7 (passing-diminished)
Grip x-x-6-7-6-7 · frets 6–7
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, b7b7String 3, fret 8, b3b3String 2, fret 8, 55String 1, fret 8, 11
Cm7 (ii)
Grip x-x-8-8-8-8 · fret 8
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, b7b7String 3, fret 8, b3b3String 2, fret 8, 55String 1, fret 8, 11
Cm7 (ii)
Grip x-x-8-8-8-8 · fret 8
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 33String 3, fret 8, b7b7String 2, fret 8, 99String 1, fret 8, 55
F9 (V)
Grip x-x-7-8-8-8 · frets 7–8Voiced: 3 ♭7 9 5

Top line: C – B – C – C

Practice I–vi–ii–V (1625) in B♭ with the passing diminished chord

In every key

KeyAs writtenPassing diminished chord
CCmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7Cmaj7 – C♯dim7 – Dm7 – G7
D♭D♭maj7 – B♭m7 – E♭m7 – A♭7D♭maj7 – Ddim7 – E♭m7 – A♭7
DDmaj7 – Bm7 – Em7 – A7Dmaj7 – D♯dim7 – Em7 – A7
E♭E♭maj7 – Cm7 – Fm7 – B♭7E♭maj7 – Edim7 – Fm7 – B♭7
EEmaj7 – C♯m7 – F♯m7 – B7Emaj7 – E♯dim7 – F♯m7 – B7
FFmaj7 – Dm7 – Gm7 – C7Fmaj7 – F♯dim7 – Gm7 – C7
F♯F♯maj7 – D♯m7 – G♯m7 – C♯7F♯maj7 – Gdim7 – G♯m7 – C♯7
GGmaj7 – Em7 – Am7 – D7Gmaj7 – G♯dim7 – Am7 – D7
A♭A♭maj7 – Fm7 – B♭m7 – E♭7A♭maj7 – Adim7 – B♭m7 – E♭7
AAmaj7 – F♯m7 – Bm7 – E7Amaj7 – A♯dim7 – Bm7 – E7
B♭B♭maj7 – Gm7 – Cm7 – F7B♭maj7 – Bdim7 – Cm7 – F7
BBmaj7 – G♯m7 – C♯m7 – F♯7Bmaj7 – B♯dim7 – C♯m7 – F♯7

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Comp I–vi–ii–V (1625) in B♭ with the passing diminished chord in Practice Lab, in any key. Free, in your browser, no account.

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