F Diminished Chord
Fdim stacks two minor thirds: F to A flat, then A flat to C flat. Its lowered fifth creates a tritone above the root and gives the triad a strong need to move.
- Notes: F-A flat-C flat
- Symbol: Fdim
- viidim in Gb major
- Lowered fifth
Fdim
How to play an F diminished chord
Notes: F - Ab - CbFdim
Root position
F - Ab - Cb1st inversion
Ab - Cb - F2nd inversion
Cb - F - Ab
Where does F diminished belong?
In Gb major, this diminished triad can act as a leading-tone chord that approaches the tonic.
Play the role cards to hear how its surrounding chords change the job it does; Diatonic Chords explains the basic numbered roles.
- Leading-tone chordvii°
F is the leading tone of Gb, so the chord leans hard toward it.
GbCbFdimvii°Gb - The ii° in minorii°
The minor-key version of ii-V-i, heading to Ebm.
Fdimii°BbEbm - Minor-key pullvii°
From harmonic minor: the same chord pulls just as hard toward F#m. In this key the chord is spelled E#dim.
F#mBmE#dimvii°F#m
Progressions to try
- GbCbFdimGb
Fdim is a leading-tone triad that resolves by step into the final major tonic.
- FdimBbEbm
In Eb minor, Fdim serves as ii diminished before the dominant and minor tonic.
- F#mBmE#dimF#m
The leading-tone sound also works before a minor tonic; check the chord's spelling in this key. Here the same sounding chord is written E#dim rather than Fdim.
Which shape should you use?
On guitar, start with the open xx3101 grip. Let the open strings ring and keep any strings marked x silent.
On ukulele, start with 4542, played at the 2nd fret. The 10-8-7-8 grip moves the chord to another register.
On piano, play F-A flat-C flat. Move F up an octave to reach the first inversion, A flat-C flat-F; the notes remain the same while the lowest voice changes.
What are the inversions?
F is the root, A flat the minor third and C flat the diminished fifth, six semitones above the root.
- Root position: F-A flat-C flat, with F lowest.
- First inversion: A flat-C flat-F, written Fdim/Ab if A flat is lowest in the whole arrangement.
- Second inversion: C flat-F-A flat, written Fdim/Cb if C flat is lowest in the whole arrangement.
A slash chord names the note in the bass, not merely the lowest note under one hand. Chord Inversions shows how to read that distinction.
How does Fdim differ from Fm?
Keep F and A flat, then raise the diminished fifth C flat to C. That makes Fm. This page is about the three-note diminished triad, not a diminished seventh chord. Try that one-note change on piano, then use the comparer to hear it in the full chord. See Fm for the other chord's full spelling and roles.
Fdim
F - Ab - CbFm
F - Ab - C