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C♯ diminished chord on bass (C♯dim)
Also called or written C♯dim or C♯°
C♯ diminished contains C♯, E, and G. The 9th fret position uses all four strings and requires careful finger placement.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5
- Root positionC♯–E–GC♯dim9-10-11-9
- First inversionE–G–C♯C♯dim/E12-10-11-12
- Second inversionG–C♯–EC♯dim/G3-4-2-×
How do you play a C♯ diminished chord on bass?
C♯ diminished is played at the 9th fret as 9 10 11 9: index finger on the E string at fret 9, ring finger on the A string at fret 10, pinky finger on the D string at fret 11 and middle finger on the G string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 9 | 1 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 10 | 3 | G (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 11 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 9 | 2 | E (♭3) |
IntermediateThe pinky must stretch to the 11th fret on the D string while the index and middle fingers hold the 9th fret on the outer strings.
C♯dim/E inversion
C♯ diminished is played at the 10th fret as 12 10 11 12: ring finger on the E string at fret 12, index finger on the A string at fret 10, middle finger on the D string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 12 | 3 | E (♭3) |
| 3 (A) | 10 | 1 | G (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 11 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 12 | 4 | G (♭5) |
C♯dim/G inversion · fret 2
C♯ diminished is played at the 2nd fret as 3 4 2 ×: middle finger on the E string at fret 3, ring finger on the A string at fret 4 and index finger on the D string at fret 2. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 3 | 2 | G (♭5) |
| 3 (A) | 4 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 2 | 1 | E (♭3) |
| 1 (G) | muted | — | — |
C♯dim/G inversion · fret 9
C♯ diminished is played at the 9th fret as × 10 11 9: middle finger on the A string at fret 10, ring finger on the D string at fret 11 and index finger on the G string at fret 9. The E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (A) | 10 | 2 | G (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 11 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 9 | 1 | E (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ diminished is built from the 1, ♭3, ♭5 formula. The diminished 5th between C♯ and G gives it a tense, unstable sound. Compare it to C♯ minor, which has a perfect 5th (G♯).
What goes wrong with C♯ diminished?
- Letting the ring finger flatten and mute the D string.
- Pressing too hard with the index finger, causing the E string to go sharp.
When to use it
C♯ diminished works over C♯ minor and C♯ 5th chords. It also fits E major and E minor progressions. Use it for chromatic passing lines in funk or fusion.
Changing to and from C♯ diminished
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 7th fret gives B diminished.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 10th fret gives D diminished.
Which voicing to use
The 9th fret position puts C♯ in the bass for a root-position sound. The C♯dim/E inversion starts on E at the 10th fret, giving a more open, less tense feel.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ diminished written?
C♯ diminished is written C♯° or C♯dim. The root is typed as C# in ASCII. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between C♯ diminished and C♯ minor?
C♯ diminished has a diminished 5th (G), while C♯ minor has a perfect 5th (G♯). The lowered fifth creates the diminished chord's unstable quality.
Can C♯ diminished be played in a lower register?
Yes, the C♯dim/G inversion at the 3rd fret uses only three strings, starting on G. It omits the high G string for a darker sound.