What notes are in the G#dim chord?

G#dim is made of G#, B and D — the 1, b3 and b5 degrees of a diminished chord built on G#.

What keys use the G#dim chord?

Every note of G#dim belongs to 2 keys: A Major (vii°), F# Minor (ii°). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.

How do you play G#dim on guitar and piano?

This page shows G#dim on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 8 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is G#dim the same as Abdim?

Yes. G#dim and Abdim are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; G#dim is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · G# Diminished

G♯dim Chord

G♯dim is G#, B and D — tense, unstable; resolves outward.

Hear it

G♯dim on every instrument

The same 3 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

What G♯dim is made of

G# Diminished (G# diminished) is built from the notes G#, B, D, with the interval pattern 1, b3, b5. A common diminished chord across many styles.

Stack 1, b3 and b5 on a root of G♯ and you get G#, B and D. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a diminished chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why Cdim sounds like a transposed G♯dim.

Diminished: Tense, unstable; resolves outward.

Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with G♯ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain G♯dim

All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 2 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Major keys

A MajorG♯dim is the vii°

Minor keys

F♯ MinorG♯dim is the ii°

Other chords on G♯

Same root, different colour.

G♯mG# Minor G♯m6G# Minor 6th G♯m7G# Minor 7th G♯m(maj7)G# Minor-Major 7th G♯dim7G# Diminished 7th G♯m7♭5G# Half-Diminished 7th (m7♭5)G♯m9G# Minor 9th G♯m/♭3G# Minor (1st Inversion)

The same diminished shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

CdimC Diminished DdimD Diminished EdimE Diminished FdimF Diminished GdimG Diminished AdimA Diminished BdimB Diminished C♯dimC# Diminished

Questions people ask about G#dim

What notes are in the G#dim chord?: G#dim is made of G#, B and D — the 1, b3 and b5 degrees of a diminished chord built on G#.
What keys use the G#dim chord?: Every note of G#dim belongs to 2 keys: A Major (vii°), F# Minor (ii°). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play G#dim on guitar and piano?: This page shows G#dim on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 8 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is G#dim the same as Abdim?: Yes. G#dim and Abdim are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; G#dim is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why G♯dim behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineDiminished chords are almost always doing a job. This explains which one.6 min read Cadences — The Four Ways a Phrase EndsWhere all that tension goes — how the chord resolves into the next one.4 min read Voice Leading — Hold What You Can, Move Only What You MustHalf-steps do the work here. Voice leading is how you find them.6 min read