Diminished Triad vs Diminished 7
The C diminished triad and the C diminished 7 share 3 notes — C, Eb, Gb. From there, the C diminished 7 adds Bbb.
Guitar · 6-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G, B, e. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 2 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 5 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 8 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 11 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 14 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 17 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 20 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 23 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7).
- A string: fret 0 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 3 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 6 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 9 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 12 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 15 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 18 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 21 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 24 Bbb (double flat 7).
- D string: fret 1 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 4 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 7 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 10 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 13 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 16 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 19 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 22 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7).
- G string: fret 2 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 5 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 8 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 11 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 14 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 17 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 20 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 23 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7).
- B string: fret 1 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 4 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 7 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 10 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 13 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 16 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 19 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 22 Bbb (double flat 7).
- e string: fret 2 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 5 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 8 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 11 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7), fret 14 Gb (flat 5 of C Diminished Triad and flat 5 of C Diminished 7), fret 17 Bbb (double flat 7), fret 20 C (root of C Diminished Triad and root of C Diminished 7), fret 23 Eb (flat 3 of C Diminished Triad and flat 3 of C Diminished 7).
Both scales above are drawn on one guitar fretboard in the key of C. Notes belonging to both are drawn as a split two-color dot, so the notes they share and the notes unique to each are visible in one picture.
How the formulas differ
Scale degrees are the key-independent way to compare two scales — these stay the same in every key, and they are what actually distinguishes one scale from another.
| Scale | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Diminished Triad | R · b3 · b5 |
| Diminished 7 | R · b3 · b5 · bb7 |
Notes in common
| Note | In Diminished Triad | In Diminished 7 |
|---|---|---|
| C | R | R |
| Eb | b3 | b3 |
| Gb | b5 | b5 |
Notes that differ
- Only in the diminished 7: Bbb (bb7)