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C♯ diminished major 7th chord on ukulele (C♯dimMaj7)
Also called or written C♯dimMaj7, C♯dimM7, C♯°M7, C♯ augmented minor seventh or C♯ minor seventh sharp five
C♯ diminished major 7th contains C♯, E, G and B♯. The 6th fret shape is the same stretch as A, but the easy inversion at 0-1-0-3 offers a lower alternative.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, 7
How do you play a C♯ diminished major 7th chord on ukulele?
C♯ diminished major 7th is played at the 6th fret as 6 7 8 7: index finger on the G string at fret 6, middle finger on the C string at fret 7, pinky finger on the E string at fret 8 and ring finger on the A string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 6 | 1 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 7 | 2 | G (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 4 | B♯ (7) |
| 1 (A) | 7 | 3 | E (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach fret 8 on the E string while the ring finger holds fret 7 on the A string, a two-fret stretch.
Open
C♯ diminished major 7th is played in open position as 0 1 0 3: index finger on the C string at fret 1 and middle finger on the A string at fret 3. The G and E strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | open | — | G (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 1 | 1 | C♯ (1) |
| 2 (E) | open | — | E (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 2 | B♯ (7) |
C♯dimM7/E inversion
C♯ diminished major 7th is played at the 3rd fret as 5 4 3 4: pinky finger on the G string at fret 5, middle finger on the C string at fret 4, index finger on the E string at fret 3 and ring finger on the A string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 4 | B♯ (7) |
| 3 (C) | 4 | 2 | E (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 1 | G (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 4 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ diminished major 7th is built 1, ♭3, ♭5, 7. The diminished 5th between C♯ and G is a tritone, and the major 7th B♯ is a leading tone to C♯. Compare it with C♯ minor 7th flat 5th, which has B instead of B♯.
What goes wrong with C♯ diminished major 7th?
- Letting the pinky flatten and deaden the A string.
- Pressing the index finger too far from the fret, causing the G string to buzz.
When to use it
C♯ diminished major 7th appears in C♯ minor as a passing chord, resolving to C♯ minor or C♯ major. Its leading tone suits gypsy minor and chromatic lines.
Changing to and from C♯ diminished major 7th
- Slide the shape down one fret to the 5th fret to reach C diminished major 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 6th fret position keeps C♯ in the bass. The C♯dimM7/G inversion puts G in the bass, and the C♯dimM7/B♯ inversion puts B♯ in the bass, each creating a different color.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ diminished major 7th written?
C♯ diminished major 7th is written C♯°M7 or C♯dimM7. The ASCII root spelling is C#. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between C♯ diminished major 7th and C♯ minor 7th flat 5th?
C♯ diminished major 7th has a major 7th, B♯. C♯ minor 7th flat 5th has a minor 7th, B.
Why does C♯ diminished major 7th use B♯ instead of C?
C♯ diminished major 7th uses B♯ because the major 7th from C♯ is eleven semitones, and B♯ is the correct spelling in a C♯ context.