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Bass chord companion

G Diminished Chord

Learn the G Diminished chord on bass with chord tones, intervals, playable arpeggios, and fretboard maps.

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1Gb3Bbb5Db

Bass chord tones and arpeggios

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.

Root on E string

G Diminished complete chord-tone map around string 4, fret 3. Choose individual tones for a bass line.

G Diminished Root on E string bass chord-tone mapG Diminished complete chord-tone map around string 4, fret 3. Choose individual tones for a bass line.EADG234561b3b51b3b5

Ascending arpeggio

Follow steps 1–3 below. Keep one hand position.

G Diminished Root on E string numbered bass arpeggioAscending complete formula: G1, Bb1, Db2. Play one numbered note at a time.EADG1234123
StepDegreeNoteString / fretFingerPosition
11G14 / 33Fret 1
2b3Bb13 / 11Fret 1
3b5Db23 / 44Fret 1

Root on A string

G Diminished complete chord-tone map around string 3, fret 10. Choose individual tones for a bass line.

G Diminished Root on A string bass chord-tone mapG Diminished complete chord-tone map around string 3, fret 10. Choose individual tones for a bass line.EADG910111213b51b3b51

Ascending arpeggio

Follow steps 1–3 below. Keep one hand position.

G Diminished Root on A string numbered bass arpeggioAscending complete formula: G2, Bb2, Db3. Play one numbered note at a time.EADG891011123
StepDegreeNoteString / fretFingerPosition
11G23 / 103Fret 8
2b3Bb22 / 81Fret 8
3b5Db32 / 114Fret 8

Full fretboard map

Every G Diminished Chord chord tone across the neck, with roots highlighted for quick orientation.

Interactive

Frets 0–24. Select a position or tap a note to hear it.

GDAEGBbDbGBbDbBbDbGBbDbGGBbDbGBbDbBbDbGBbDbG123456789101112131415161718192021222324

Progression examples using G Diminished

Try these progressions to hear the harmony in context. On bass, outline each chord with individual target tones.

Chord Tones

DegreeIntervalNote
1RootG
b3m3Bb
b5d5Db

Complete Formula

1 – b3 – b5

Compound degrees retain their names: 9, 11, and 13 are extensions. A voicing may place their pitches in a closer register.

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