F diminished chord on ukulele (Fdim)

Fdim is F, A♭ and C♭. The usual shape is 4-5-4-2. Tap Play, then slow it down.

4-5-4-2 · movable · medium

Notes: F · A♭ · C♭
Formula: 1 · ♭3 · ♭5
First shape: 4-5-4-2

How to play Fdim on ukulele

Shape 1, 4-5-4-2, reading from the G string on the left, starts at the 2nd fret:

C♭: index finger, 2nd fret of the A string.
C♭: middle finger, 4th fret of the G string.
A♭: ring finger, 4th fret of the E string.
F: pinky finger, 5th fret of the C string.

This shape uses your pinky. It feels weak at first; press with the tip and let the finger stay curved.
The shape stretches across four frets. Bring your thumb lower behind the neck to open the hand up.
Strum with the pad of your index finger or thumb, all four strings, across the spot where the neck meets the body.

Other ways to play Fdim

10-8-7-8: movable shape at the 7th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.

Changing from Fdim to the chords around it

Songs rarely hold Fdim for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

F♯ (leads up a half step): Fdim (4-5-4-2) to F♯ (3-1-2-1): move the index finger to the C string, 1st fret, move the middle finger to the A string, 1st fret, your ring finger lands on the E string, 2nd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. F♯ on ukulele
F♯m (leads up a half step): Fdim (4-5-4-2) to F♯m (2-1-2-0): your index finger lands on the C string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, the ring finger goes to the E string, 2nd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. F♯m on ukulele
B♭m (iii in F♯ major): Fdim (4-5-4-2) to B♭m (3-1-1-1): your index finger lands on the C string, 1st fret, move the middle finger to the E string, 1st fret, the ring finger goes to the A string, 1st fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share F, which is why the change sounds smooth. B♭m on ukulele

Fdim is a diminished triad: two minor thirds stacked. All 3 notes of Fdim fit on the ukulele's four strings, with one of them doubled. On ukulele you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

Getting Fdim under your fingers

Arpeggiate 4-5-4-2 from the lowest string: C♭, F, A♭, C♭. Then strum it and listen for the same 4 notes together. Then switch to 10-8-7-8 and back four times without looking at your hand.

Keys and progressions with Fdim

Fdim on guitar and piano

The same notes on another instrument: Fdim on guitar and Fdim on piano. This page puts all three side by side.

Related F chords on ukulele

Other diminished chords

Fdim on ukulele: questions

What notes are in Fdim on ukulele?

F, A♭ and C♭. In the 4-5-4-2 shape the strings play C♭ (G string), F (C string), A♭ (E string) and C♭ (A string), so C♭ is doubled.

What's the easiest way to play Fdim on ukulele?

In standard tuning Fdim can't use open strings. Begin with 4-5-4-2. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and a capo is worth trying when the song allows.

Is Fdim a barre chord on ukulele?

Not in its common form: 4-5-4-2 needs no barre.

Which string does Fdim start on?

In the 4-5-4-2 shape the lowest string you play is the G string at the 4th fret, which is C♭, the diminished fifth.

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Fdim. Updated September 2026.