Bass chord companion
Learn the D Half-Diminished chord on bass with chord tones, intervals, playable arpeggios, and fretboard maps.
Play these tones one at a time to outline the chord. The maps show the complete formula; the numbered exercises give an ascending path, including extensions in their written octave.
Standard four-string bass: E1 – A1 – D2 – G2. String 4 is low E; string 1 is high G. Fingers 1–4 are index through little finger; 0 is open. Use comfortable hand positions and shift where indicated.
D Half-Diminished complete chord-tone map around string 4, fret 10. Choose individual tones for a bass line.
Follow steps 1–4 below. Keep one hand position.
| Step | Degree | Note | String / fret | Finger | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | D2 | 4 / 10 | 3 | Fret 8 |
| 2 | b3 | F2 | 3 / 8 | 1 | Fret 8 |
| 3 | b5 | Ab2 | 3 / 11 | 4 | Fret 8 |
| 4 | b7 | C3 | 2 / 10 | 3 | Fret 8 |
D Half-Diminished complete chord-tone map around string 3, fret 5. Choose individual tones for a bass line.
Follow steps 1–4 below. Keep one hand position.
| Step | Degree | Note | String / fret | Finger | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | D2 | 3 / 5 | 3 | Fret 3 |
| 2 | b3 | F2 | 2 / 3 | 1 | Fret 3 |
| 3 | b5 | Ab2 | 2 / 6 | 4 | Fret 3 |
| 4 | b7 | C3 | 1 / 5 | 3 | Fret 3 |
Every D Half-Diminished Chord chord tone across the neck, with roots highlighted for quick orientation.
Frets 0–24. Select a position or tap a note to hear it.
Try these progressions to hear the harmony in context. On bass, outline each chord with individual target tones.
Half-diminished and diminished sounds often set up a dominant chord resolving to minor.
Use the tension as a connector between more stable harmony.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | D |
| b3 | m3 | F |
| b5 | d5 | Ab |
| b7 | m7 | C |
1 – b3 – b5 – b7
Compound degrees retain their names: 9, 11, and 13 are extensions. A voicing may place their pitches in a closer register.