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F diminished major 7th chord on ukulele (FdimMaj7)
Also called or written FdimMaj7, FdimM7, F°M7, F augmented minor seventh or F minor seventh sharp five
F diminished major 7th contains F, A♭, C♭ and E. The 10th fret shape is the same four-finger stretch as A, moved up eight frets.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, 7
- Root positionF–A♭–C♭–EFdimMaj710-11-12-11
- First inversionA♭–C♭–E–FFdimMaj7/A♭9-8-7-8
- Second inversionC♭–E–F–A♭FdimMaj7/C♭10-11-12-11
- Third inversionE–F–A♭–C♭FdimMaj7/E9-8-7-8
How do you play an F diminished major 7th chord on ukulele?
F diminished major 7th is played at the 10th fret as 10 11 12 11: index finger on the G string at fret 10, middle finger on the C string at fret 11, pinky finger on the E string at fret 12 and ring finger on the A string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 1 | F (1) |
| 3 (C) | 11 | 2 | C♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 12 | 4 | E (7) |
| 1 (A) | 11 | 3 | A♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach fret 12 on the E string while the ring finger holds fret 11 on the A string, a two-fret stretch.
FdimM7/A♭ inversion
F diminished major 7th is played at the 7th fret as 9 8 7 8: pinky finger on the G string at fret 9, middle finger on the C string at fret 8, index finger on the E string at fret 7 and ring finger on the A string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 9 | 4 | E (7) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 2 | A♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 7 | 1 | C♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 3 | F (1) |
Why it sounds like that
F diminished major 7th is built 1, ♭3, ♭5, 7. The diminished 5th between F and C♭ is a tritone, and the major 7th E is a leading tone to F. Compare it with F minor 7th flat 5th, which has E♭ instead of E.
What goes wrong with F 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
F diminished major 7th functions as a passing chord in F minor, resolving to F minor or F major. Its leading tone suits gypsy minor and chromatic lines.
Changing to and from F diminished major 7th
- Slide the shape down one fret to the 9th fret to reach E diminished major 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 10th fret position keeps F in the bass. The FdimM7/E inversion puts E in the bass, creating a tense sound with the leading tone on the bottom.
Other F chords
Common questions
How is F diminished major 7th written?
F diminished major 7th is written F°M7 or FdimM7.
What is the difference between F diminished major 7th and F minor 7th flat 5th?
F diminished major 7th has a major 7th, E. F minor 7th flat 5th has a minor 7th, E♭.
Why does F diminished major 7th use C♭ instead of B?
F diminished major 7th uses C♭ because the diminished 5th from F is six semitones, and C♭ is the correct spelling in an F context.