Guitar · Level 6 · Intermediate
Diminished passing chords in D♭ major on Guitar
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A diminished seventh chord a half step above I connects it smoothly to ii. It is a staple of jazz, gospel and old-time songs.
D♭
Notes: D♭ · F · A♭
Ddim7
Notes: D · F · A♭ · C♭
E♭m7
Notes: E♭ · G♭ · B♭ · D♭
A♭7
Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: D♭, Ddim7, E♭m7 and A♭7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Press just behind the fret with your fingertips and keep the thumb relaxed behind the neck.
- Set the tempo to 63 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Move the bass up by a half step each time and keep the shapes close together.
- Strum down on every beat at first, then try down–down–up–up–down–up.
- Raise the tempo to 84 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for a chromatic climb from I to ii in the bass.
Listen for
Aim for a chromatic climb from I to ii in the bass. A common mistake is holding the diminished chord too long so it sounds unresolved.
Why it works
♯i°7 works like a V7♭9 of ii without its root, so it resolves naturally to ii.
D♭ major has 5 flats; its relative minor key is B♭ minor.
Questions
What are the chords in I–♯i°7–ii7–V7 in D♭ major?
In D♭ major the progression is D♭ | Ddim7 | E♭m7 | A♭7.
What is the key signature of D♭ major?
D♭ major has 5 flats. Its relative minor is B♭ minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 6 lesson (intermediate). If it feels too hard, start with “Secondary dominants”.
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