Fdim7, diminished seventh chord
F, A♭, C♭ and E𝄫
- Root
- F
- Minor third
- A♭
- Diminished fifth
- C♭
- Diminished seventh
- E𝄫
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 𝄫7 (3, 6, 9 half steps above F)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | F | A♭ | C♭ | E𝄫 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
C♭ is played on the white key B. E𝄫 is played on the white key D.
F diminished 7 inversions
F diminished 7 has 3 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.
Fdim7
Root position
| Notes | F | A♭ | C♭ | E𝄫 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Fdim7/A♭
First inversion
| Notes | A♭ | C♭ | E𝄫 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Fdim7/C♭
Second inversion
| Notes | C♭ | E𝄫 | F | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Fdim7/E𝄫
Third inversion
| Notes | E𝄫 | F | A♭ | C♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Where F diminished 7 fits
Its notes do not all belong to one major key, so it usually appears as a passing or borrowed chord.
How F diminished 7 is built
F is the root, A♭ the minor third, C♭ the diminished fifth and E𝄫 the diminished seventh.
A diminished seventh chord stacks three minor thirds, so every note is 3 half steps from the next. That symmetry means F diminished 7 uses the same four keys as G♯ diminished 7, B diminished 7 and D diminished 7.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of F diminished 7 are F, A, C, E. That is why it is spelled F, A♭, C♭ and E𝄫.
Find F diminished 7 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 4
Tap the notes of F diminished 7, in any octave and any order.
Practice F diminished 7 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 7 chord?
F diminished 7 (Fdim7) has four notes: F, A♭, C♭ and E𝄫. F is the root, A♭ the minor third, C♭ the diminished fifth and E𝄫 the diminished seventh. C♭ is played on the white key B. E𝄫 is played on the white key D.
What fingers do you use for F diminished 7 on piano?
In root position, play F, A♭, C♭ and E𝄫 with right hand fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 (thumb, index finger, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3, 2 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 7?
F diminished 7 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Fdim7/A♭): A♭, C♭, E𝄫 and F. Second inversion (Fdim7/C♭): C♭, E𝄫, F and A♭. Third inversion (Fdim7/E𝄫): E𝄫, F, A♭ and C♭.
What is a diminished seventh chord?
A diminished seventh chord stacks three minor thirds, so every note is 3 half steps from the next. That symmetry means F diminished 7 uses the same four keys as G♯ diminished 7, B diminished 7 and D diminished 7.