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A♭ diminished chord on bass (A♭dim)
Also called or written A♭dim or A♭°
A♭ diminished contains A♭, C♭, and E♭♭. The 4th fret position is a comfortable stretch for intermediate players.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5
How do you play an A♭ diminished chord on bass?
A♭ diminished is played at the 4th fret as 4 5 6 4: index finger on the E string at fret 4, ring finger on the A string at fret 5, pinky finger on the D string at fret 6 and middle finger on the G string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 4 | 1 | A♭ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 5 | 3 | E♭♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 4 | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 4 | 2 | C♭ (♭3) |
IntermediateThe pinky must reach the 6th fret on the D string while the index and middle fingers hold the 4th fret on the outer strings.
A♭dim/C♭ inversion
A♭ diminished is played at the 5th fret as 7 5 6 7: ring finger on the E string at fret 7, index finger on the A string at fret 5, middle finger on the D string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 7 | 3 | C♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (A) | 5 | 1 | E♭♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 2 | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 7 | 4 | E♭♭ (♭5) |
A♭dim/E♭♭ inversion · fret 4
A♭ diminished is played at the 4th fret as × 5 6 4: middle finger on the A string at fret 5, ring finger on the D string at fret 6 and index finger on the G string at fret 4. The E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (A) | 5 | 2 | E♭♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 3 | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 4 | 1 | C♭ (♭3) |
A♭dim/E♭♭ inversion · fret 9
A♭ diminished is played at the 9th fret as 10 11 9 ×: middle finger on the E string at fret 10, ring finger on the A string at fret 11 and index finger on the D string at fret 9. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 10 | 2 | E♭♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (A) | 11 | 3 | A♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 9 | 1 | C♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (G) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ diminished is built from the 1, ♭3, ♭5 formula. The diminished 5th between A♭ and E♭♭ gives it a tense, unstable sound. Compare it to A♭ minor, which has a perfect 5th (E♭).
What goes wrong with A♭ diminished?
- Letting the pinky collapse and buzz on the D string.
- Allowing the middle finger to touch the A string and mute the C♭.
When to use it
A♭ diminished works over A♭ minor and A♭ 5th chords. It also fits B major and B minor progressions. Use it for tense passing lines in classical or metal.
Changing to and from A♭ diminished
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 2nd fret gives F♯ diminished.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 5th fret gives A diminished.
Which voicing to use
The 4th fret position puts A♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. The A♭dim/B inversion starts on C♭ at the 5th fret, giving a darker, less stable feel.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ diminished written?
A♭ diminished is written A♭° or A♭dim. The root is typed as Ab in ASCII. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between A♭ diminished and A♭ minor?
A♭ diminished has a diminished 5th (E♭♭), while A♭ minor has a perfect 5th (E♭). The lowered fifth creates the diminished chord's tense quality.
Can A♭ diminished be played in a lower register?
Yes, the A♭dim/D inversion at the 4th fret on the G string uses only three strings, starting on E♭♭. It omits the low E string for a lighter texture.