C♯ diminished seventh (C♯dim7) chord on guitar

Diminished seventh chord (three stacked minor thirds) on C♯: the notes of the C♯dim7 chord are C♯ – E – G – B♭. The same chord with a different spelling: D♭ diminished seventh (D♭dim7).

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

E shape, fret 9hard

D shape, fret 11medium

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

Chord finder Transposer Tuner

What the C♯dim7 chord sounds like

A diminished seventh is three stacked minor thirds, so it is symmetrical: four different roots give the same notes. A dramatic, tense passing chord.

Notes of the C♯dim7 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	C♯	root
3	E	minor third (3 semitones)
5	G	diminished fifth (6 semitones)
7	B♭	diminished seventh (9 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Easy version

String 1 (e): open (E4)
String 2 (B): not played
String 3 (G): fret 3, index finger (B♭3)
String 4 (D): fret 5, ring finger (G3)
String 5 (A): fret 4, middle finger (C♯3)
String 6 (E): not played

E shape, fret 9, barre at fret 9

String 1 (e): fret 9, index finger (C♯5)
String 2 (B): fret 11, little finger (B♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 9, index finger (E4)
String 4 (D): fret 11, ring finger (C♯4)
String 5 (A): fret 10, middle finger (G3)
String 6 (E): fret 9, index finger (C♯3)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 9; your other fingers press the higher frets.

D shape, fret 11

String 1 (e): fret 12, little finger (E5)
String 2 (B): fret 11, middle finger (B♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 12, ring finger (G4)
String 4 (D): fret 11, index finger (C♯4)
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): not played

The “C, A, G, E and D shapes” are the CAGED system: you slide the shape of the open C, A, G, E or D chord up the neck and your index finger (a barre) takes over the job of the nut. That way the same chord can be played in five places, anywhere on the fretboard.

Tuning: E A D G B E (low to high). String 6 is the thickest, the low E. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Playing C♯dim7 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a C♯dim7 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 4
shape: Adim7

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The C♯dim7 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

D minor: vii°7

Similar chords and substitutes

If C♯dim7 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

A7 – an incomplete dominant: the diminished chord is the top of this seventh chord
D – where it leads (leading tone → root)

Same notes

Edim7 – the same notes with a different root
Gdim7 – the same notes with a different root
B♭dim7 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

C♯dim – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C♯dim7 chord?

C♯, E, G, B♭. The root is C♯; the intervals of the other notes from the root: minor third, diminished fifth, diminished seventh.

What is the easiest way to play C♯dim7 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Easy version”, rated easy. We show 3 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck. With a capo you can also play it as a Adim7 shape at fret 4.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

How is the C♯dim7 chord written?

The chord symbol is C♯dim7 (also written C#dim7), and its full name is C♯ diminished seventh.