Fdim guitar chord
How to play Fdim on guitar — the notes F, A♭, C♭, a shape you can tap to hear, the keys it lives in, and a progression to hear it in context. Free.
The shape
Tap the diagram to hear Fdim strummed. Fdim is played as a barre chord around fret 8: lay a finger across the strings at that fret and build the shape on top. Movable, so the same grip works up and down the neck.
The notes in Fdim
A diminished chord is spelled from its root up: F (R), A♭ (♭3), C♭ (♭5). Those are the only notes in Fdim — play them in any order, in any octave, and it's still Fdim.
What a diminished chord is
In plain terms, a diminished triad stacks two minor thirds (root, ♭3, ♭5) — a chord made entirely of tension, with no stable fifth to rest on.
How it's used: It's the vii° of a major key, the note-below-home chord that badly wants to resolve up to the tonic. It rarely sits still.
The sound: Suspenseful, unresolved, uneasy — a chord on the edge of its seat. Where you'll hear it: Passing chords, classical cadences, tension in film and metal.
Keys that use Fdim
Fdim appears naturally in these keys — click any to see all seven of its chords and how Fdim fits in:
Other F chords
diminished chords on other roots
Chords and their spellings are shared facts of music theory. Every diagram and sound here is generated by ThunderFret's own engine — no tabs, lyrics or recordings are reproduced.
Open Fdim in the interactive tool to see every place it sits on the neck, hear it, and find the shape that fits your hand — free.
See Fdim on the fretboardFrequently asked
What notes are in Fdim?
Fdim is made of 3 notes: F (the R), A♭ (the ♭3), C♭ (the ♭5).
How do you play Fdim on guitar?
Fdim is played as a barre chord around fret 8: lay a finger across the strings at that fret and build the shape on top. Movable, so the same grip works up and down the neck.
What key is Fdim in?
Fdim is a diatonic chord in 2 keys, including the vii° of F♯ major. See all of them below.