Shapes of things… Diminished

Noel Gallagher, circa 1996 © Reuters/Corbis

The chord: Diminished

Used by: Noel Gallagher

Song: Don't Look Back In Anger

Context: Context: G# diminished over the line "take that look from off your face" in the bridge. Low to high strings: 4 X 3 4 3 X

Did you know?

Just as the augmented chord can be repeated every two or four frets on a guitar because of its note makeup (stacked major 3rds), so the diminished can be repeated every three frets since it is made up of stacked minor 3rds. The diminished scale goes: tone, semi-tone, tone, semi-tone, tone, semi-tone, ad infinitum

Also spotted in:

George Harrison's My Sweet Lord (Fdim on "won't take long my Lord"). Low to high strings: X X 3 4 3 4

The Beatles' Till There Was You (D#dim as second chord in the intro and verse). Low to high strings: X 6 7 6 7 X

Fleetwood Mac's Need Your Love So Bad (D#dim as the link between the two halves of each verse - D, D#dim, A). Low to high strings: X 6 7 6 7 X