What notes are in a G diminished 7 chord?

G°7 contains four notes: G (root), B♭ (minor third), D♭ (diminished fifth), and F♭ (diminished seventh — same pitch as E).

Why is the seventh F♭ instead of E?

The diminished 7th interval requires the seventh letter (F from G). The diminished version of F natural is F♭. Calling the note E would skip the F letter and use E twice if combined with surrounding harmony in flat keys.

Is G°7 the same as E°7?

Enharmonically yes — both contain the same four pitches. G°7 is the spelling inside flat-key contexts (A♭ minor); E°7 is the more common spelling in F-minor contexts.

When would I write G°7 instead of E°7?

When the surrounding harmony is firmly in A♭ minor or G♭ major — the all-flat key signature makes G°7 easier to read than respelling as E°7 with multiple naturals.

G diminished 7 chord — notes, intervals, and practice

G°7 — G, B♭, D♭, F♭ — is the vii°7 of A♭ minor and a deeply flat-side chromatic chord. The F♭ (enharmonic to E natural) signals you're in serious flat-key territory. Like all dim7s, G°7 is symmetric and equals B♭°7, D♭°7, and F♭°7 in pitch class.

Intervals

The G diminished 7 chord stacks two thirds on the root. Each interval and its size in semitones:

G→Bbminor 3rd3 semitones
Bb→Dbminor 3rd3 semitones
Db→Fbdiminished 7th9 semitones

On the keyboard

Each note of the G diminished 7 chord highlighted on a piano. Pitch class is what matters — any octave works.

On the guitar

One voicing of the G diminished 7 chord on a six-string guitar fretboard.

Common mistakes

The seventh F♭ is enharmonic to E natural. Inside A♭-minor key context, F♭ preserves consistency with the surrounding flats; outside that context the chord usually respells as E°7 (E-G-B♭-D♭) or as one of its other inversions. The four-accidental spelling (G natural, plus three flats) is unusual visually.

In context

G°7 → A♭ minor is the cadence in A♭ minor — though A♭ minor itself is rare as a tonic. More commonly, G°7 appears as a chromatic passing chord or as a substitute for E♭7♭9 (tritone-related dominant) in jazz minor-key progressions.

Drill it

The G diminished 7 chord is one of 48 in the Chord Trainer. Open the full trainer to practice it alongside related chords with timing and best-time tracking.

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Frequently asked

What notes are in a G diminished 7 chord?: G°7 contains four notes: G (root), B♭ (minor third), D♭ (diminished fifth), and F♭ (diminished seventh — same pitch as E).
Why is the seventh F♭ instead of E?: The diminished 7th interval requires the seventh letter (F from G). The diminished version of F natural is F♭. Calling the note E would skip the F letter and use E twice if combined with surrounding harmony in flat keys.
Is G°7 the same as E°7?: Enharmonically yes — both contain the same four pitches. G°7 is the spelling inside flat-key contexts (A♭ minor); E°7 is the more common spelling in F-minor contexts.
When would I write G°7 instead of E°7?: When the surrounding harmony is firmly in A♭ minor or G♭ major — the all-flat key signature makes G°7 easier to read than respelling as E°7 with multiple naturals.