Chords › G♯ diminished

G Sharp Diminished Chord on Guitar

4fr2341

Root on string 6

G sharp diminished, written G♯dim, is a diminished chord: a minor third and a flat fifth, a tense sound that leads somewhere else. G♯dim has no open shape, so it is usually played as a 4-string shape from the 4th fret.

How to play G♯dim, finger by finger

  1. Put your index finger on string 3 at the 4th fret.
  2. Put your middle finger on string 6 at the 4th fret.
  3. Put your ring finger on string 5 at the 5th fret.
  4. Put your pinky finger on string 4 at the 6th fret.
  5. Strum strings 6 to 3 only.

More ways to play G♯dim

11fr1243
Root on string 5 from fret 11
421
Open near the nut
314
Open, fret 2 near the nut
3fr2431
Open, fret 3 from fret 3
4fr132
Open, fret 4 from fret 4
6fr123
Movable, fret 6 from fret 6
9fr4123
Movable, fret 9 from fret 9
10fr2341
Movable, fret 10 from fret 10

Notes in G♯ diminished

NoteIntervalRole
G♯1root
B♭3minor third
D♭5flat fifth

Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5

Questions about G♯dim

What notes are in G♯dim?

G♯, B and D. Those are the 1, ♭3, ♭5 of the chord, counted from G♯.

Which strings do I strum for G♯dim?

All six strings.

Is G♯dim the same as A♭dim?

Yes, on guitar they are played the same way and sound the same. G sharp and A flat are two names for one note: songs in sharp keys write G♯, songs in flat keys write A♭.

What chord does G♯dim lead to?

Most often A. The root of G♯dim sits a half step below A, so it leads up into A.

Often played with G♯dim

Other diminished chords