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A diminished major 7th chord on ukulele (AdimMaj7)
Also called or written AdimMaj7, AdimM7, A°M7, A augmented minor seventh or A minor seventh sharp five
A diminished major 7th is built from A, C, E♭, and G♯. This advanced grip stretches all four fingers across frets 2–4 with no open strings to anchor the hand.
AdimM7/E♭ inversionfrom fret 2
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, 7
- Root positionA–C–E♭–G♯AdimMaj72-3-4-3
- First inversionC–E♭–G♯–AAdimMaj7/Cno shape on this instrument
- Second inversionE♭–G♯–A–CAdimMaj7/E♭2-3-4-3
- Third inversionG♯–A–C–E♭AdimMaj7/G♯no shape on this instrument
How do you play an A diminished major 7th chord on ukulele?
A diminished major 7th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 3 4 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 4 and ring finger on the A string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 1 | A (1) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 2 | E♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 4 | 4 | G♯ (7) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 3 | C (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach fret 4 on the E string while the ring finger holds fret 3 on the A string, demanding a wide stretch.
Why it sounds like that
A diminished major 7th stacks a minor 3rd, a diminished 5th, and a major 7th above A. The diminished 5th (A–E♭) and the major 7th (A–G♯) create its tense, leading-tone sound. Compare it to A minor 7th flat 5th, which lowers the 7th to G.
What goes wrong with A diminished major 7th?
- The pinky flattens onto the A string, deadening it.
- The index finger presses too hard, bending the G string sharp.
- The middle finger touches the E string, muffling the high G♯.
When to use it
A diminished major 7th works as a passing chord between A major and A minor, or as a dramatic substitution for A major 7th in jazz ballads. Its leading tone G♯ pulls strongly to A, so use it right before an A major or A minor resolution.
Changing to and from A diminished major 7th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 1st fret gives A♭ diminished major 7th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 3rd fret gives B♭ diminished major 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd fret voicing puts A in the bass, giving a root-position sound with the diminished 5th E♭ on top. This shape is the only position shown, so use it whenever you need the chord's full tension.
Other A chords
Common questions
How is A diminished major 7th written?
A diminished major 7th is written as A°M7 or AdimM7. The symbols show a diminished triad with a major 7th added.
What is the difference between A diminished major 7th and A minor 7th flat 5th?
A diminished major 7th has a major 7th (G♯), while A minor 7th flat 5th has a minor 7th (G). The major 7th creates a sharper leading tone.
Why does A diminished major 7th sound so tense?
The diminished 5th (E♭) and the major 7th (G♯) both create dissonance. The major 7th also acts as a leading tone to A.