E Diminished Seventh Guitar Arpeggio

E Diminished Seventh Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals

Notes: E, G, Bb, Db

Intervals: 1P, 3m, 5d, 7d

Formula: WH-WH-WH

Number of notes: 4

Also known as: dim7, °7, o7

The E Diminished Seventh arpeggio contains 4 notes (E, G, Bb, Db). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.

When to Use the E Diminished Seventh Arpeggio

Play the E Diminished Seventh arpeggio whenever a E Diminished Seventh 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 E Diminished Seventh arpeggio uses 4 notes (E, G, Bb, Db) 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 E Diminished Seventh Arpeggio on Guitar

Start the E Diminished Seventh arpeggio in open position, using the open E string as your root. This 4-note arpeggio (E, G, Bb, Db) benefits from economy picking, combining sweep and alternate picking motions. Practice isolating two-string pairs to build coordination before linking the full shape.

The E Diminished Seventh arpeggio creates a tense, unstable sound built from minor thirds. It works over Edim, Edim7, Em7b5 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 E Diminished Seventh 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 E Diminished Seventh arpeggio on guitar by superimposing it over the corresponding E major barre chord shape. This visual connection between chord and arpeggio helps you find arpeggio tones instantly during improvisation.

Related Resources

Explore E Diminished Seventh in Other Tunings

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

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