Hey Friend,

I gotta tell you - the more I listen to the B diminished chord within the context of the key of C major, the more I like it. Hey, don't give me that look... I'm as shocked as you are!

But there it is... I said it. I guess the operative word here is "context." How does it fit within the progression you are playing? But that can be said for any chord I suppose.

The exercises first take you through transitioning between C and B°. You can simplify the B° chord by getting rid of the fourth string note and using the simple D major shape instead. Just remember to only play the three strings rather than the four.

As you get to the second part of the exercise, you may begin to realize you've heard it before. If you've been to a wedding, there's a good chance you heard it there.

Yes, it's Pachelbel's Canon. It is normally played in the key of D major, but for you, I transposed (changed the key) it into C major. I've never played it using a diminished chord, but it seems to fit just fine.

If you want to change the location of C major, you can play it by using the A shape across the fifth fret. You can either barre the fourth, third and second strings, or you can play the open A major shape - your choice. That is a faster chord change than to play the open C major and then shift to B°.

If you've never heard the song before, it might be helpful to listen to this so you get the idea of what we're doing in the exercise - well, at least the harmonic aspect of the song. I think you'll agree that, even in its most simplistic form, this song is beautiful. Here's Canon in D.

Practice the chord changes slowly so you get comfortable with them. Take your time and enjoy them.

Congratulations! We've made it through the chords in the key of C major! Consider this a milestone, as you now have a base to work from are beginning to understand how notes and chords work. Repetition is the key to mastering this stuff, so we're going to look at this information again a we dive into other keys. Before long, this stuff will be very familiar to you. 

The fun part about music is that the more you learn, the more gets revealed to you. It's as if you've merely cracked the door . The door is heavy, and it only opens a small bit at a time, but as you learn and more gets revealed, you get stronger and can push the door a little further.

Kind of like a scientist that is uncovering the secrets of quantum physics or making discoveries about the brain. The more you uncover, the bigger the possibilities.

Enjoy!

Peace~

Dave