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F Diminished Chord
The F Diminished Chord is F, A-flat, and C-flat. The C-flat is the white key B, so the chord is white, black, white. The notes are close together, the shape is compact, and the sound is tense, leaning toward G-flat.
How to play the F Diminished Chord on the piano
Let’s go through some charts that will familiarize you with the F Diminished Chord and how to play it in the various forms you will encounter in pieces of music. First, we’ll look at the fundamental chord and its inversions; then, we’ll explore some more complex voicings.
The F Diminished Chord in root position
In root position, the notes of the F diminished chord are stacked in thirds with F on the bottom. The appearance on the staff is evenly spaced, as is the feeling of the space in between your fingers while playing.
| F Diminished Chord in root position | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | F A♭ C♭ |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | Fdim or F° |
The F Diminished Chord in first inversion
In first inversion, the third of the chord (A♭) becomes the bottom note, and the root (F) jumps up to the top.
| F Diminished Chord in 1st inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | A♭ C♭ F |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 5 |
| Chord Symbol | F°6 or F°/A♭ |
The F Diminished Chord in second inversion
In second inversion, the fifth of the chord (C♭) is on the bottom, and the third of the chord (A♭) goes to the top.
| F Diminished Chord in 2nd inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | C♭ F A♭ |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | F°6/4 or F°/C♭ |
F Diminished Chord theory and function
A diminished chord stacks two minor thirds, and the result is tense and unsettled. It is never a place to rest. It behaves like a dominant 7th chord with the root missing, so it wants to move.
The F diminished chord is the leading-tone chord (vii°) in G♭ major. In minor keys, it is the supertonic (ii°) in E♭ minor.
The notes F, A♭, and C♭ are the top three notes of D♭7, so the chord leads to G♭ the way D♭7 does. A common use is as a passing chord over a rising bass line, I – vii°6 – I6: G♭ – F°/A♭ – G♭/B♭, so the bass walks G♭, A♭, B♭. Try playing F° and then G♭ and listen to how the tension settles.
Other chords built on F
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