The ascending diminished · Diminished chords · Music theory
Its commonest use is as a bridge between two diatonic chords whose roots are a whole step apart: the diminished chord, on the bass note between them,…
The ascending diminished
Its commonest use is as a bridge between two diatonic chords whose roots are a whole step apart: the diminished chord, on the bass note between them, connects the two by half steps. It goes from I to II with I♯°, from II to III with II♯°, from IV to V with IV♯°, and from V to VI with V♯°.
Each is at heart a hidden dominant of the following chord: C♯° is A7(♭9) toward D, and F♯° is D7(♭9) toward G. So it is more than an ornament: it has real drive.