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G diminished 7th chord on bass (Gdim7)
Also called or written Gdim7 or G°7
G diminished 7th contains G, B♭, D♭, and F♭. The 2nd fret position requires a wide finger stretch across all four strings.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7
- Root positionG–B♭–D♭–F♭Gdim73-4-2-3
- First inversionB♭–D♭–F♭–GGdim7/B♭6-7-5-6
- Second inversionD♭–F♭–G–B♭Gdim7/D♭9-10-8-9
- Third inversionF♭–G–B♭–D♭Gdim7/F♭12-13-11-12
How do you play a G diminished 7th chord on bass?
G diminished 7th is played at the 2nd fret as 3 4 2 3: middle finger on the E string at fret 3, pinky finger on the A string at fret 4, index finger on the D string at fret 2 and ring finger on the G string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 3 | 2 | G (1) |
| 3 (A) | 4 | 4 | D♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 2 | 1 | F♭ (6) |
| 1 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach the 4th fret on the A string while the index holds the 2nd fret on the D string, creating a wide span.
Gdim7/B♭ inversion
G diminished 7th is played at the 5th fret as 6 7 5 6: middle finger on the E string at fret 6, pinky finger on the A string at fret 7, index finger on the D string at fret 5 and ring finger on the G string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6 | 2 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (A) | 7 | 4 | F♭ (6) |
| 2 (D) | 5 | 1 | G (1) |
| 1 (G) | 6 | 3 | D♭ (♭5) |
Gdim7/D♭ inversion
G diminished 7th is played at the 8th fret as 9 10 8 9: middle finger on the E string at fret 9, pinky finger on the A string at fret 10, index finger on the D string at fret 8 and ring finger on the G string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 9 | 2 | D♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (A) | 10 | 4 | G (1) |
| 2 (D) | 8 | 1 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (G) | 9 | 3 | F♭ (6) |
Gdim7/F♭ inversion
G diminished 7th is played at the 11th fret as 12 13 11 12: middle finger on the E string at fret 12, pinky finger on the A string at fret 13, index finger on the D string at fret 11 and ring finger on the G string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 12 | 2 | F♭ (6) |
| 3 (A) | 13 | 4 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (D) | 11 | 1 | D♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (G) | 12 | 3 | G (1) |
Why it sounds like that
G diminished 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7. The diminished 5th between G and D♭ produces its tense sound. Compare it to G minor 7th flat 5th, which has a ♭7 instead of ♭♭7.
What goes wrong with G diminished 7th?
- Letting the pinky collapse and mute the 3rd string.
- Allowing the ring finger to touch the 1st string and dull its sound.
When to use it
G diminished 7th functions as a leading-tone chord in A♭ major or A♭ minor, resolving to A♭. Use it in jazz turnarounds and classical bass lines. It also connects to G minor 7th flat 5th in ii–V progressions.
Changing to and from G diminished 7th
- Slide the shape down one fret to the 1st fret to reach F♯ diminished 7th.
- Slide the shape up one fret to the 3rd fret to reach A♭ diminished 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd fret position gives G as the lowest note on the E string, providing a strong root. The Gdim7/B♭ inversion at the 5th fret places B♭ in the bass for a darker, more ambiguous sound.
Other G chords
Common questions
How is G diminished 7th written?
G diminished 7th is written as G°7 or Gdim7.
Why does G diminished 7th use F♭ instead of E?
F♭ is the correct spelling for the diminished 7th above G. Using E would create a major 6th, which changes the chord's function.
Is G diminished 7th the same as B♭ diminished 7th?
G diminished 7th and B♭ diminished 7th share the same notes but have different roots. The spelling depends on which note is considered the root.