F♯dim, 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 |
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.
F♯dim
Root position
| Notes | F♯ | A | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
F♯dim/A
First inversion
| Notes | A | C | F♯ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
F♯dim/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
- vii° in G 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 (F♯dim) has three notes: F♯, A and C. F♯ is the root, A the minor third and C the diminished fifth.
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 (F♯dim/A): A, C and F♯. Second inversion (F♯dim/C): C, F♯ and A.
What key is F♯ diminished in?
F♯ diminished appears as vii° in G major, ii° in E minor and vii° in G minor.