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F♯ diminished 7th chord on ukulele (F♯dim7)
Also called or written F♯dim7 or F♯°7
F♯ diminished 7th is built from F♯, A, C, E♭. The 11th fret shape is a compact four-finger cluster that moves cleanly up and down the neck.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7
- Root positionF♯–A–C–E♭F♯dim75-6-5-6
- First inversionA–C–E♭–F♯F♯dim7/A8-9-8-9
- Second inversionC–E♭–F♯–AF♯dim7/C11-12-11-12
- Third inversionE♭–F♯–A–CF♯dim7/E♭2-3-2-3
How do you play an F♯ diminished 7th chord on ukulele?
F♯ diminished 7th is played at the 11th fret as 11 12 11 12: index finger on the G string at fret 11, ring finger on the C string at fret 12, middle finger on the E string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 11 | 1 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 12 | 3 | C (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 2 | E♭ (6) |
| 1 (A) | 12 | 4 | A (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach fret 12 on the A string while the ring finger holds fret 12 on the C string, requiring a wide stretch.
F♯dim7/E♭ inversion
F♯ diminished 7th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 3 2 3: index finger on the G string at fret 2, ring finger on the C string at fret 3, middle finger on the E string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 1 | A (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 3 | E♭ (6) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (♭5) |
5th fret
F♯ diminished 7th is played at the 5th fret as 5 6 5 6: index finger on the G string at fret 5, ring finger on the C string at fret 6, middle finger on the E string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 1 | C (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 6 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 5 | 2 | A (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (6) |
F♯dim7/A inversion
F♯ diminished 7th is played at the 8th fret as 8 9 8 9: index finger on the G string at fret 8, ring finger on the C string at fret 9, middle finger on the E string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 1 | E♭ (6) |
| 3 (C) | 9 | 3 | A (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 2 | C (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 9 | 4 | F♯ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ diminished 7th stacks minor thirds: 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7. Its altered interval creates tension while the supplied root and remaining tones stay fixed. Compare it with F♯ minor 7th flat 5th, which has a minor seventh instead.
What goes wrong with F♯ diminished 7th?
- Letting the index finger mute the C string by lying flat.
- Pressing the pinky on the A string fret 12 without enough arch, deadening the E string.
- Strumming before all four fingers are firmly placed.
When to use it
F♯ diminished 7th works as a passing chord between F♯ minor 7th flat 5th and A♭ minor. Its tense, symmetrical sound suits jazz turnarounds and dramatic pauses in ballads.
Changing to and from F♯ diminished 7th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 10th fret gives F diminished 7th.
Which voicing to use
The 11th fret voicing puts F♯ in the bass, giving the most direct root-position sound. The F♯dim7/A inversion at the 2nd fret places A in the bass, which softens the chord's attack and works well when moving to an A♭ chord.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ diminished 7th written?
F♯ diminished 7th is written F♯°7 or F♯dim7. The root is F♯, also written F#. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
How does this supplied chord create its distinctive sound?
Its verified note order explains the sound without relying on outside harmony. Spelling it E♭ keeps the chord's formula as 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭♭7. Check the exact supplied position before changing register or fingering.
How does F♯ diminished 7th differ from F♯ minor 7th flat 5th?
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th has a minor seventh, E, while F♯ diminished 7th has a diminished seventh, E♭. That one-semitone difference makes the diminished chord sound more tense and symmetrical.
Can I play F♯ diminished 7th with a barre?
No, the 11th fret voicing uses four separate fingers. A barre would fret the G and E strings at fret 11, but you still need fingers for the C and A strings at fret 12.