Tools / Chords / A diminished

A diminished chord on ukulele (Adim)

Also written Adim or A°

Ukulele · Adim/E♭ inversion · open position

A diminished contains A, C, and E♭. The open A string keeps the root on top, making this a light, easy first diminished shape.

Adim/E♭ inversion · open position5-3-5-0

Positions on the neck1 of 5

How it’s built

A1Root

C♭3Minor 3rd

E♭♭5Diminished 5th

Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5

Positions on the neck1 of 5

Inversions

The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.

Root positionA–C–E♭AdimBass A

First inversionC–E♭–AAdim/CBass C

Second inversionE♭–A–CAdim/E♭Bass E♭

Why it sounds like that

A diminished is built from a root, a minor 3rd, and a diminished 5th. The diminished 5th between A and E♭ creates the chord's tense, unstable quality. Compare it to A minor, which raises the 5th to E natural.

What goes wrong with A diminished?

Letting the open A string get muffled by your fretting hand.
Pressing the E string at the 5th fret so hard that it buzzes against the frets.

When to use it

A diminished often substitutes for A minor in progressions like A–D–E, the I–IV–V in A major, to add tension before resolution. It suits blues, jazz, and dramatic pauses in folk or rock. Use it to lead into A minor or C major.

Changing to and from A diminished

Move to <a href="/ukulele/a-minor-chord">A minor</a> by lifting the ring finger from the E string and placing it on the 2nd fret of the G string, while keeping the index and middle fingers in place.

Which voicing to use

The default voicing puts E♭ in the bass, giving a darker, more unstable sound. For a root-position feel, use the 8-9-8-× shape with A in the bass, but it sits higher on the neck. The C inversion at 5-0-5-6 brightens the chord with C in the bass.

How do you play an A diminished chord on ukulele?

Adim/E♭ inversion · open position

Intermediate● On the diagram

A diminished is played in open position as 5 3 5 0: middle finger on the G string at fret 5, index finger on the C string at fret 3 and ring finger on the E string at fret 5. The A string rings open.

Tip — The stretch from the 3rd fret on the C string to the 5th fret on the G and E strings requires a moderate finger span.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (G)	5	2	C (♭3)
3 (C)	3	1	E♭ (♭5)
2 (E)	5	3	A (1)
1 (A)	open	—	A (1)

Adim/E♭ inversion · fret 3

Intermediate

A diminished is played at the 3rd fret as 5 3 5 3: ring finger on the G string at fret 5, index finger on the C string at fret 3, pinky finger on the E string at fret 5 and middle finger on the A string at fret 3.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (G)	5	3	C (♭3)
3 (C)	3	1	E♭ (♭5)
2 (E)	5	4	A (1)
1 (A)	3	2	C (♭3)

Adim/E♭ inversion · fret 2

Intermediate

A diminished is played at the 2nd fret as 2 3 5 3: index finger on the G string at fret 2, middle finger on the C string at fret 3, pinky finger on the E string at fret 5 and ring finger on the A string at fret 3.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (G)	2	1	A (1)
3 (C)	3	2	E♭ (♭5)
2 (E)	5	4	A (1)
1 (A)	3	3	C (♭3)

8th fret

Intermediate

A diminished is played at the 8th fret as 8 9 8 ×: index finger on the G string at fret 8, ring finger on the C string at fret 9 and middle finger on the E string at fret 8. The A string stays muted.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (G)	8	1	E♭ (♭5)
3 (C)	9	3	A (1)
2 (E)	8	2	C (♭3)
1 (A)	muted	—	—

Adim/C inversion

Intermediate

A diminished is played in open position as 5 0 5 6: index finger on the G string at fret 5, middle finger on the E string at fret 5 and ring finger on the A string at fret 6. The C string rings open.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (G)	5	1	C (♭3)
3 (C)	open	—	C (♭3)
2 (E)	5	2	A (1)
1 (A)	6	3	E♭ (♭5)

Common questions

How is A diminished written?

A diminished is written as A° or Adim.

What is the difference between A diminished and A minor?

A diminished lowers the 5th from E to E♭, creating a diminished 5th interval. A minor has a perfect 5th, giving it a more stable, consonant sound.

Can I play A diminished higher up the neck?

Yes, the shape at 8-9-8-× puts A in the bass and works well for brighter passages. The 5-0-5-6 voicing uses C in the bass for a different inversion.

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (G)

C (♭3)

3 (C)

E♭ (♭5)

2 (E)

A (1)

1 (A)

open

—

A (1)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (G)

C (♭3)

3 (C)

E♭ (♭5)

2 (E)

A (1)

1 (A)

C (♭3)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (G)

A (1)

3 (C)

E♭ (♭5)

2 (E)

A (1)

1 (A)

C (♭3)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (G)

E♭ (♭5)

3 (C)

A (1)

2 (E)

C (♭3)

1 (A)

muted

—

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (G)

C (♭3)

3 (C)

open

—

C (♭3)

2 (E)

A (1)

1 (A)

E♭ (♭5)