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E diminished major 7th chord on ukulele (EdimMaj7)
Also called or written EdimMaj7, EdimM7, E°M7, E augmented minor seventh or E minor seventh sharp five
E diminished major 7th contains E, G, B♭ and D♯. The 9th fret shape is the same four-finger stretch as A, moved up seven frets.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, 7
- Root positionE–G–B♭–D♯EdimMaj79-10-11-10
- First inversionG–B♭–D♯–EEdimMaj7/G8-7-6-7
- Second inversionB♭–D♯–E–GEdimMaj7/B♭9-10-11-10
- Third inversionD♯–E–G–B♭EdimMaj7/D♯0-3-0-1
How do you play an E diminished major 7th chord on ukulele?
E diminished major 7th is played at the 9th fret as 9 10 11 10: index finger on the G string at fret 9, middle finger on the C string at fret 10, pinky finger on the E string at fret 11 and ring finger on the A string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 9 | 1 | E (1) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 2 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 4 | D♯ (7) |
| 1 (A) | 10 | 3 | G (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach fret 11 on the E string while the ring finger holds fret 10 on the A string, a two-fret stretch.
EdimM7/D♯ inversion
E diminished major 7th is played in open position as 0 3 0 1: middle finger on the C string at fret 3 and index finger on the A string at fret 1. The G and E strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 2 | D♯ (7) |
| 2 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
EdimM7/G inversion
E diminished major 7th is played at the 6th fret as 8 7 6 7: pinky finger on the G string at fret 8, middle finger on the C string at fret 7, index finger on the E string at fret 6 and ring finger on the A string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 4 | D♯ (7) |
| 3 (C) | 7 | 2 | G (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 7 | 3 | E (1) |
Why it sounds like that
E diminished major 7th is built 1, ♭3, ♭5, 7. The diminished 5th between E and B♭ is a tritone, and the major 7th D♯ is a leading tone to E. Compare it with E minor 7th flat 5th, which has D instead of D♯.
What goes wrong with E diminished major 7th?
- Letting the pinky collapse and mute the A string.
- Pressing the middle finger too far from the fret, causing the C string to buzz.
When to use it
E diminished major 7th appears in E minor as a passing chord, resolving to E minor or E major. Its leading tone suits jazz and whole-half scale runs.
Changing to and from E diminished major 7th
- Slide the shape down one fret to the 8th fret to reach E♭ diminished major 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 9th fret position keeps E in the bass. The EdimM7/G inversion puts G in the bass, and the EdimM7/D♯ inversion puts D♯ in the bass, each creating a different color.
Other E chords
Common questions
How is E diminished major 7th written?
E diminished major 7th is written E°M7 or EdimM7.
What is the difference between E diminished major 7th and E minor 7th flat 5th?
E diminished major 7th has a major 7th, D♯. E minor 7th flat 5th has a minor 7th, D.
Why does E diminished major 7th sound unstable?
E diminished major 7th contains a tritone between E and B♭, and the major 7th D♯ creates a strong pull to the root E.