Banjo Ddim chord (Double C)D diminished on the 5-string banjo: 2 1 2 3, and 3 more shapes

Ddim chord chart for 5-string banjo in Double C tuning: 2 1 2 3, first position, with the short 5th string marked
Ddim (D diminished) on the 5-string banjo, Double C: 2 1 2 3, string 4 to string 1. Fingers are numbered on the dots; copper marks the root; the green ring on the left is the 5th string, solid when it’s in the chord.

Frets, string 4 to string 1: 2 1 2 3 (first position)

  1. String 4 (C): 2nd fret, middle finger, D
  2. String 3 (G): 1st fret, index finger, A♭
  3. String 2 (C): 2nd fret, ring finger, D
  4. String 1 (D): 3rd fret, little finger, F
  5. String 5, the short g: open, G, not in the chord

Sounds: D A♭ D F  ·  Ddim is D, F, A♭ (1 · ♭3 · ♭5)

Found in: C minor (ii°), E♭ major (vii°), B♭ mixolydian (iii°), F dorian (vi°)

The 5th string: the short g rubs against the A♭ in this shape, a semitone away: some players let it ring, some skip it.

With a capo: on the 2nd fret it’s 0 5 3 4 (frets counted from the capo), an open Cdim shape. Spike the 5th string at the 7th fret to keep it in tune with the capo.

Double C tuning: gCGCD, the short 5th string first, then strings 4 to 1.

Hear it in the app ›

The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts in open G. Choose Double C once in its Settings and it remembers.

More Ddim shapes

  1. 5fr1312gFDFA♭5 7 5 6
    5fr
  2. 8fr131gA♭FA♭D8 10 8 0
    8fr
  3. 13fr2134gDA♭DF14 13 14 15
    13fr

Other D chords in Double C

DDmD7Dm7Dmaj7D6Dsus4Dsus2DdimDaug

Other diminished chords

GdimAdimDdimCdimBdimEdimFdimB♭dim

Ddim in other tunings

Open GSawmillOpen DC Tuning

All Double C banjo chords · Printable chart (PDF) · How to tune · The app