Explore chords · Ukulele
F♯ diminished chord on ukulele (F♯dim)
Also called or written F♯dim or F♯°
F♯ diminished contains F♯, A, and C. The 11th-fret shape mutes the E string and requires a stretch to the 12th fret.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5
- Root positionF♯–A–CF♯dim5-6-5-×
- First inversionA–C–F♯F♯dim/A2-0-2-0
- Second inversionC–F♯–AF♯dim/C11-12-×-12
How do you play an F♯ diminished chord on ukulele?
F♯ diminished is played at the 11th fret as 11 12 × 12: index finger on the G string at fret 11, middle finger on the C string at fret 12 and ring finger on the A string at fret 12. The E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 11 | 1 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 12 | 2 | C (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (A) | 12 | 3 | A (♭3) |
IntermediateThe ring finger must reach the A string at fret 12 while the middle finger holds the C string at fret 12, and the E string must be muted.
F♯dim/C inversion · 2-0-2-0
F♯ diminished is played in open position as 2 0 2 0: index finger on the G string at fret 2 and middle finger on the E string at fret 2. The C and A strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 1 | A (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | open | — | C (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 1 (A) | open | — | A (♭3) |
F♯dim/C inversion · 2-0-2-3
F♯ diminished is played in open position as 2 0 2 3: index finger on the G string at fret 2, middle finger on the E string at fret 2 and ring finger on the A string at fret 3. The C string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 1 | A (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | open | — | C (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 3 | C (♭5) |
F♯dim/C inversion · ×-0-2-0
F♯ diminished is played in open position as × 0 2 0: index finger on the E string at fret 2. The C and A strings ring open. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | open | — | C (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 1 | F♯ (1) |
| 1 (A) | open | — | A (♭3) |
5th fret
F♯ diminished is played at the 5th fret as 5 6 5 ×: index finger on the G string at fret 5, ring finger on the C string at fret 6 and middle finger on the E string at fret 5. The A string stays muted.
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) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ diminished is built from the 1, ♭3, ♭5 formula. The ♭5 interval creates a tritone with the root. Compare it to F♯ minor, which has a perfect fifth C♯.
What goes wrong with F♯ diminished?
- Letting the open E string ring through, which adds a note outside the chord.
- Flattening the ring finger onto the E string, muting it unintentionally.
When to use it
F♯ diminished works as a passing chord in E natural minor or G major. It suits tense, suspenseful moments in rock and jazz.
Changing to and from F♯ diminished
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 9th fret gives E diminished.
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 10th fret gives F diminished.
Which voicing to use
The 11th-fret shape keeps F♯ in the bass for a root-position sound. The F♯dim/A inversion puts A in the bass, which softens the dissonance slightly.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ diminished written?
F♯ diminished is written F♯° or F♯dim. The ASCII root spelling is F#. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ diminished and F♯ minor?
F♯ diminished lowers the fifth from C♯ to C, creating a tritone. F♯ minor keeps the perfect fifth C♯.
Why is the E string muted in the 11th-fret shape?
The open E string is not a chord tone of F♯ diminished. Muting it keeps the voicing clean.