A Diminished Guitar Arpeggio

A Diminished Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals

Notes: A, C, Eb

Intervals: 1P, 3m, 5d

Formula: WH-WH

Number of notes: 3

Also known as: dim, °, o

The A Diminished arpeggio contains 3 notes (A, C, Eb). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.

When to Use the A Diminished Arpeggio

Play the A Diminished arpeggio whenever a A Diminished chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.

Arpeggio vs. Scale

The A Diminished arpeggio uses 3 notes (A, C, Eb) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.

How to Play A Diminished Arpeggio on Guitar

Root your A Diminished arpeggio at fret 5 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at open position using open A string. With only 3 notes (A, C, Eb), this arpeggio spans wide intervals across the strings — sweep picking is an efficient way to move through it cleanly. Keep your pick angle consistent and let each note ring individually.

The A Diminished arpeggio creates a tense, unstable sound built from minor thirds. It works over Adim, Adim7, Am7b5 chords and is often used as a passing device to create dramatic tension before resolving to a stable chord.

Practice Routine

Start by playing the A Diminished arpeggio ascending and descending at 60 BPM, one note per beat, using a metronome. Once even and confident, play it in eighth notes, then triplets, keeping each note articulate. Spend at least 5 minutes daily on this before moving to musical application.

Guitar Tips

Try playing the A Diminished arpeggio on guitar by superimposing it over the corresponding A major barre chord shape. This visual connection between chord and arpeggio helps you find arpeggio tones instantly during improvisation.

Related Resources

Explore A Diminished in Other Tunings

• A Diminished in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
• A Diminished in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
• A Diminished in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
• A Diminished in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
• A Diminished in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
• A Diminished in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
• A Diminished in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
• A Diminished in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
• A Diminished in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
• A Diminished in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
• A Diminished in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
• A Diminished in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
• A Diminished in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
• A Diminished in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)

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