Abdim chord with Ab Diminished Whole-Half scale

Pairing the Abdim chord (Diminished) with the Ab Diminished Whole-Half scale: formulas, fretboard voicings and the practical context for soloing, improvisation and songwriting.

Abdim chord formula

Interval formula: 1 b3 b5. A diminished triad — root, minor 3rd and flat 5th. A tense, unstable chord that wants to resolve.

Ab Diminished Whole-Half scale formula

Formula: 1 2 b3 4 b5 #5 6 7. Classification: symmetric.

Fretboard voicings for Abdim

Curated Abdim shapes that sit naturally inside the Ab Diminished Whole-Half scale.

XXOb51b3b51234
Abdim — G shape, frets 0–4
XXb5b3b51234567
Abdim — E shape, frets 2–7
XXb3b5b31678910
Abdim — D shape, frets 6–10
XXb5b3116789101112
Abdim — C shape, frets 6–12
XX1b5b311011121314
Abdim — A shape, frets 10–14

Other scales for Abdim

Compare how the same chord behaves over other compatible modes.

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