E♭dim7

Eb Diminished 7th — perfectly symmetrical stacked minor thirds — the ultimate passing chord, able to resolve almost anywhere.

The keys
C4C5C6
E♭ – G♭ – A – C
What's inside E♭dim7
NoteInterval from rootDegree
E♭Root1
G♭Minor 3rdb3
A (spelled B♭♭)Diminished 5thb5
C (spelled D♭♭)Diminished 7thbb7
Inversions
PositionKeys (low → high)
Root positionE♭4 – G♭4 – A4 – C5
1st inversionG♭4 – A4 – C5 – E♭5
2nd inversionA4 – C5 – E♭5 – G♭5
3rd inversionC5 – E♭5 – G♭5 – A5
A working voicing

Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:

HandKeys
Left (shell)E♭2 – C3
Right (colour)G♭4 – A4
Where E♭dim7 lives

As the ii chord

E♭dim7 → A♭7 → D♭maj7

Minor-family sevenths live on the ii — this is the move they were born for.

Stepwise colour

E♭ → E♭dim7 → Fm7

Used as a passing colour between neighbouring chords.

Put E♭dim7 under your fingers

Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.

Open the Chord & Voicing Lab →