Does The Diminished viiº Chord Even Exist?

The diatonic seven chord is diminished — everyone knows that. But what does that actually mean, and is it even helpful to think of viiº as its own independent chord?

What You'll Learn

• The true nature of the diatonic viiº chord
• Its relationship with V7 and dominant chord variations
• Whether viiº functions independently or as part of other chords
• More options and techniques for working with diminished triads

A Deep Lesson

This is a deep lesson, not for the faint of heart. The goal is to give you more options, possibilities, and techniques when you encounter a viiº chord in your writing or analysis.

For more on diminished chords, check out the Diminished 7th Portal lesson or Chapter 14 of the Codex.