F diminished chord on piano (Fdim)
Fdim is F, A♭ and C♭. You'll find F just left of the group of three black keys (a white key). Hit Play and watch each key light as it sounds.
root position · F–A♭–C♭ · right hand 1-3-5
- Notes
- F · A♭ · C♭
- Formula
- 1 · ♭3 · ♭5
How to play Fdim on piano
From F, go 3 half steps up to A♭ then 3 half steps up to C♭. That's the whole chord: 3 keys.
- Right hand: 1 on F, 3 on A♭ and 5 on C♭.
- Left hand: 5 on F, 3 on A♭ and 1 on C♭.
- On the keyboard it's white, black and white keys.
Fdim inversions
- root position: F–A♭–C♭. RH 1-3-5.
- 1st inversion: A♭–C♭–F (A♭ in the bass). Right hand 1-2-5.
- 2nd inversion: C♭–F–A♭, with C♭ at the bottom. Right hand 1-3-5.
Use the inversions to stay put: the next chord is often one inversion away from where your hand already is, as the changes below show.
Moving between Fdim and its neighbours
The chords Fdim usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- F♯ (leads up a half step): Fdim to F♯: play F♯ in root position (F♯–A♯–C♯), while F moves up to F♯, A♭ up to A♯ and C♭ up to C♯. F♯ on piano
- F♯m (leads up a half step): Fdim to F♯m: play F♯m in root position (F♯–A–C♯), while F moves up to F♯, A♭ up to A and C♭ up to C♯. F♯m on piano
- B♭m (iii in F♯ major): Fdim to B♭m: play B♭m in 2nd inversion (F–B♭–D♭) and F stays under the same finger, while A♭ moves up to B♭ and C♭ up to D♭. B♭m on piano
Fdim is a diminished triad: two minor thirds stacked. Fdim rarely stays long; it's a passing chord that usually climbs a half step to the next chord. The one-by-one button above makes that quality easy to hear.
Getting Fdim under your fingers
Play Fdim broken, one key at a time: F, A♭, C♭, A♭, F. Then press the keys together and check that all 3 sound at the same volume. Then climb the inversions: F–A♭–C♭, then A♭–C♭–F, then C♭–F–A♭.
The keys of Fdim
Fdim is a diminished chord, 1–♭3–♭5 from F. Root position, from the bottom: how Fdim is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| A♭ | black key | RH 3 · LH 3 | minor third |
| C♭ | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | diminished fifth |
Where Fdim shows up
Fdim on guitar and ukulele
Fdim on guitar and ukulele uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.
Related F chords on piano
Other diminished chords
Fdim on piano: questions
What notes are in Fdim on piano?
F, A♭ and C♭: F (white key), A♭ (black key) and C♭ (white key). Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1.
How do you play Fdim on piano?
Press F, A♭ and C♭ together (1 black, 2 white). Right hand: 1 on F, 3 on A♭ and 5 on C♭.
What are the inversions of Fdim?
1st inversion (A♭–C♭–F) and 2nd inversion (C♭–F–A♭), after root position (F–A♭–C♭). Same notes, a different one at the bottom.
What does Fdim look like on the keyboard?
white, black and white keys.
Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Fdim. Updated September 2026.