ArpeggiosEN

Arpeggio

G♯ dim

Augmented / Diminished

Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5
Notes
G♯ B D

Notation

441♭3♭5

Fretboard — frets 0–24

G♯ dim — frets 0 to 24, 38 notes, roots in orange1♭3♭51♭3♭5♭3♭51♭3♭51♭31♭3♭51♭3♭5♭51♭3♭51♭3♭5♭3♭51♭3♭511♭3♭51♭3♭50123456789101112131415161718192021222324
G♯ dim — frets 0 to 24, 38 notes, roots in orange1♭3♭51♭3♭5♭3♭51♭3♭51♭31♭3♭51♭3♭5♭51♭3♭51♭3♭5♭3♭51♭3♭511♭3♭51♭3♭50123456789101112131415161718192021222324

Degrees

DegreeNoteIntervalSemitonesRole
1G♯perfect unison0The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves.
♭3Bminor third3The minor third — the dark counterpart of the major third; it turns a shape minor and colours m, m7 and the minor scales.
♭5Ddiminished fifth6The diminished fifth — a flattened fifth that destabilises the chord; dim, m7♭5 and locrian are built on it.

About this arpeggio

The diminished triad lowers both the third and the fifth of a minor triad, stacking two minor thirds into a tense, unstable shape. It is rarely a destination: it appears as a passing chord between ii and I, as the top of a dominant flat-nine sound, and as a colour that makes a minor progression ache. Because the flat fifth is the tritone, the chord already contains the seed of resolution, but with no seventh it stays ambiguous. On the neck the shape is symmetrical, so it moves easily in minor thirds. Listen for the flat fifth leaning against the root — that compressed interval is the whole tension.

How to practise this arpeggio

  • Play the flat fifth against the root and listen for the tritone.
  • Use the triad as a passing chord between ii and I and hear it squeeze.
  • Move the shape up in minor thirds and hear it repeat.
  • Compare it with the minor triad to isolate the flat fifth.