Fdim, diminished chord
F, A♭ and C♭
- Root
- F
- Minor third
- A♭
- Diminished fifth
- C♭
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 (3, 6 half steps above F)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | F | A♭ | C♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
C♭ is played on the white key B.
F diminished inversions
F diminished has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
Fdim
Root position
| Notes | F | A♭ | C♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Fdim/A♭
First inversion
| Notes | A♭ | C♭ | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Fdim/C♭
Second inversion
| Notes | C♭ | F | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with F diminished
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. F diminished appears as:
- vii° in G♭ major
- ii° in E♭ minor
How F diminished is built
F is the root, A♭ the minor third and C♭ the diminished fifth.
A diminished chord stacks two minor thirds: the root, a minor third (3 half steps up) and a diminished fifth (6 half steps up). It sounds tense and usually moves on to another chord.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of F diminished are F, A, C. That is why it is spelled F, A♭ and C♭.
Find F diminished yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of F diminished, in any octave and any order.
Practice F diminished in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the F diminished chord?
F diminished (Fdim) has three notes: F, A♭ and C♭. F is the root, A♭ the minor third and C♭ the diminished fifth. C♭ is played on the white key B.
What fingers do you use for F diminished on piano?
In root position, play F, A♭ and C♭ with right hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of F diminished?
F diminished has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Fdim/A♭): A♭, C♭ and F. Second inversion (Fdim/C♭): C♭, F and A♭.
What key is F diminished in?
F diminished appears as vii° in G♭ major and ii° in E♭ minor.