F diminished chord (Fdim)
The F diminished chord (Fdim) is a diminished triad: F, A♭ and C♭, two minor thirds stacked on top of each other (root, minor third and diminished fifth).
It is the vii° in G♭ major and the ii° in E♭ minor; it sits inside D♭ dominant seventh and tends to resolve to G♭ major, a half step up.
Below: voicings, notes on the fretboard, ukulele, piano, inversions and progressions.
How to play F diminished on guitar
There are 2 guitar voicings.
Frets from the 6th string to the 1st: x = not played, 0 = open string.
- Voicing 1: 1-2-3-1-x-x, barre at fret 1, with F in the bass (fingers 1-2-4-1-x-x).
- Voicing 2: x-8-9-10-9-x, with F in the bass (fingers x-1-2-4-3-x).
Notes of the F diminished chord on the fretboard
F diminished has 3 notes: F, A♭ and C♭. This is where they fall on each string, from the nut to the 12th fret (fret number in parentheses):
- String 6 (E): F (1) · A♭ (4) · C♭ (7)
- String 5 (A): C♭ (2) · F (8) · A♭ (11)
- String 4 (D): F (3) · A♭ (6) · C♭ (9)
- String 3 (G): A♭ (1) · C♭ (4) · F (10)
- String 2 (B): C♭ (0) · F (6) · A♭ (9) · C♭ (12)
- String 1 (E): F (1) · A♭ (4) · C♭ (7)
Formula and intervals of F diminished
Its formula is 1-♭3-♭5; in semitones from the root, 0-3-6.
- F: Root, the note that gives the chord its name
- A♭: Minor third (m3), 3 semitones above F
- C♭: Diminished fifth (d5), 6 semitones above F
F diminished on ukulele
- Ukulele (G C E A): 4-5-4-2; it sounds C♭, F, A♭ and C♭.
F diminished on piano
- Keys: F4, A♭4 and C♭5.
Inversions of F diminished
Each inversion puts a different note in the bass.
- Root position: F, A♭ and C♭, with F in the bass.
- First inversion (Fdim/A♭): A♭, C♭ and F, with A♭ in the bass.
- Second inversion (Fdim/C♭): C♭, F and A♭, with C♭ in the bass.
Keys that use F diminished
F diminished appears in 3 major and minor keys.
| Key | Degree | Function |
|---|---|---|
| G♭ major (6 flats) | vii° | Leading tone |
| E♭ minor (6 flats) | ii° | Supertonic |
| F♯ minor (harmonic minor, 3 sharps) | vii° (written E♯dim) | Leading tone |
Progressions with F diminished
- Passing diminished chord in E major (I–♯i°–ii–V): E – E♯dim – F♯m – B
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the F diminished chord?
F, A♭ and C♭: root, minor third and diminished fifth. Its formula is 1-♭3-♭5.
Which keys use F diminished?
Mainly as the vii° in G♭ major and the ii° in E♭ minor. In total it appears in 3 major and minor keys.
Is F diminished the same as a diminished seventh chord?
No: F diminished is a triad with three notes (F, A♭ and C♭). A diminished seventh chord adds a fourth note, another minor third on top.
Why does F diminished sound like D♭ dominant seventh?
Because its three notes, F, A♭ and C♭, are the third, fifth and seventh of D♭ dominant seventh: it is that dominant seventh without its root. So it does the same job and resolves to G♭ major.