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F♯ diminished 7th chord on bass (F♯dim7)
Also called or written F♯dim7 or F♯°7
F♯ diminished 7th contains F♯, A, C, and E♭. Its 1st fret position requires a wide stretch across all four strings.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7
- Root positionF♯–A–C–E♭F♯dim72-3-1-2
- First inversionA–C–E♭–F♯F♯dim7/A5-6-4-5
- Second inversionC–E♭–F♯–AF♯dim7/C8-9-7-8
- Third inversionE♭–F♯–A–CF♯dim7/E♭11-12-10-11
How do you play an F♯ diminished 7th chord on bass?
F♯ diminished 7th is played at the 1st fret as 2 3 1 2: middle finger on the E string at fret 2, pinky finger on the A string at fret 3, index finger on the D string at fret 1 and ring finger on the G string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 1 | 1 | E♭ (6) |
| 1 (G) | 2 | 3 | A (♭3) |
AdvancedThe span from the index finger on the 2nd string to the pinky on the 3rd string requires significant finger independence.
13th fret
F♯ diminished 7th is played at the 13th fret as 14 15 13 14: middle finger on the E string at fret 14, pinky finger on the A string at fret 15, index finger on the D string at fret 13 and ring finger on the G string at fret 14.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 14 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 15 | 4 | C (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 13 | 1 | E♭ (6) |
| 1 (G) | 14 | 3 | A (♭3) |
F♯dim7/A inversion
F♯ diminished 7th is played at the 4th fret as 5 6 4 5: middle finger on the E string at fret 5, pinky finger on the A string at fret 6, index finger on the D string at fret 4 and ring finger on the G string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 5 | 2 | A (♭3) |
| 3 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (6) |
| 2 (D) | 4 | 1 | F♯ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 5 | 3 | C (♭5) |
F♯dim7/C inversion
F♯ diminished 7th is played at the 7th fret as 8 9 7 8: middle finger on the E string at fret 8, pinky finger on the A string at fret 9, index finger on the D string at fret 7 and ring finger on the G string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 8 | 2 | C (♭5) |
| 3 (A) | 9 | 4 | F♯ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 7 | 1 | A (♭3) |
| 1 (G) | 8 | 3 | E♭ (6) |
F♯dim7/E♭ inversion
F♯ diminished 7th is played at the 10th fret as 11 12 10 11: middle finger on the E string at fret 11, pinky finger on the A string at fret 12, index finger on the D string at fret 10 and ring finger on the G string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 11 | 2 | E♭ (6) |
| 3 (A) | 12 | 4 | A (♭3) |
| 2 (D) | 10 | 1 | C (♭5) |
| 1 (G) | 11 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ diminished 7th is built from the intervals 1, ♭3, ♭5, and ♭♭7 — a stack of three minor 3rds. The diminished 5th between F♯ and C gives the chord its unstable, tense quality. Compare it with F♯ minor 7th flat 5th, which raises the seventh from E♭ to E.
What goes wrong with F♯ diminished 7th?
- Letting the index finger flatten and mute the 1st string.
- Pressing too hard with the pinky, causing the 3rd string to buzz.
- Failing to keep the middle finger perpendicular to the fretboard.
When to use it
F♯ diminished 7th often appears as a passing chord in jazz and classical music. It can resolve to F♯ minor 7th flat 5th or A♭ major. F♯ diminished 7th suits dramatic transitions and chromatic bass lines.
Changing to and from F♯ diminished 7th
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 2nd fret gives G diminished 7th.
- Sliding the shape up two frets to the 3rd fret gives A♭ diminished 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret position keeps F♯ as the lowest note, giving a clear root-position sound. The F♯dim7/A inversion places A in the bass, creating a darker, less stable voicing. Choose the root position for foundational bass lines and inversions for smoother voice leading.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ diminished 7th written?
F♯ diminished 7th is written as F♯°7 or F♯dim7. The ASCII root is F#, so you can type F#dim7. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ diminished 7th and F♯ minor 7th flat 5th?
F♯ diminished 7th has a double-flatted seventh (E♭), while F♯ minor 7th flat 5th has a minor seventh (E). The diminished 7th chord is more dissonant and symmetrical.
Why does F♯ diminished 7th sound so tense?
F♯ diminished 7th contains two diminished 5th intervals: F♯–C and A–E♭. These tritones create a strong pull toward resolution.