Article
How to Read Guitar Chord Diagrams
Learn how to read guitar chord diagrams quickly. Understand dots, numbers, Xs, Os, and finger positions so you can play any chord chart at sight.
D7♭5/C guitar shapes
Popular fretboard positions with fingering suggestions
Showing 8 of 26 playable shapes
About the chord
D dominant 7th flat 5 / C (3rd inversion)
The D dominant 7th flat 5 dominant 7th flat 5 chord introduces a diminished fifth A♭ to the dominant 7th, producing a dissonant, unstable tension. This unresolved sound is commonly used in jazz and blues for dramatic harmonic movement and suspense. With C in the bass, this voicing functions as the 3rd inversion of D dominant 7th flat 5.
Root note: D
Bass note: C
Chord tones: 4
Playable shapes: 26
Chord tones
DF♯A♭C
Notes & Intervals
Each note below shows how the chord is built from its root. This is the theory layer underneath the fretboard shapes.
D Unison (Root) 1
The root anchors the chord and defines its tonal center.
F♯ Major Third 3
This note defines the chord's major quality and brings brightness to the sound.
A♭ Diminished Fifth ♭5
The flattened fifth adds tension and a restless, unstable edge.
C Minor Seventh ♭7
The minor seventh adds bluesy or jazzy tension that wants to move onward.
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