C#dim Guitar Chord

C#dim is the C sharp diminished chord, a diminished triad. It has three notes: C♯, E and G. It is one of the most used diminished chords in real songs, because it fills the gap between C and D in the key of D major. The standard shape sits at the 4th fret with four fingers and no barre.

Root on the A string at fret 4, fingers in the standard dim diamond, no barre. Slide the grip and the root names the chord.

How to play C#dim, step by step

Index finger: 4th fret, A string
Middle finger: 5th fret, D string
Ring finger: 5th fret, B string
Pinky finger: 6th fret, G string
Strum from the A string down, skipping the low E. The high E string stays muted; let the nearest fretting finger touch it lightly.

Every note is fretted, so this grip moves. The identical hand shape two frets down is Bdim; the compact shape at fret 11 is the same chord an octave up.

More ways to play C#dim

There are 2 common C#dim shapes in total: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these, easiest first. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

C#dim guitar chord diagram, compact, frets 11 to 14, played x x 11 12 14 12 — Compact, frets 11 to 14

If notes choke or buzz

The ring finger note on the B string dies: The pinky above it flattens out when reaching the G string and smothers the B string. Point the pinky down at the fretboard like a hammer, tip only.
Open E strings ring through the chord: The shape uses only the middle four strings. Mute the low E with the tip of the index and the high E with the flesh of the ring finger, then check by strumming slowly.
General buzz across the shape: The three top fingers form a diagonal and tend to drift away from their frets. Nudge the whole hand so each fingertip lands right behind its fret wire.

What makes it a C#dim

C♯ · E · G 1 ♭3 ♭5

C#dim stacks two minor thirds: C♯ to E, then E to G. Against C♯ minor the difference is one note, the fifth lowered from G♯ to G, and that shrunken fifth is what makes the chord feel like it is leaning forward.

It leans toward D. C♯ is the leading tone of D major, so C#dim is that key's built in diminished chord, and its classic job is the chromatic walk C, C#dim, D: the bass climbs one fret at a time and the harmony climbs with it. Blackbird runs exactly this move. The chord also works as the ii chord in B minor.

C#dim vs C#m

C♯m is C♯, E, G♯; C#dim lowers the G♯ to G. One fret, two different worlds: C♯m is a settled chord you can strum for a whole verse, C#dim is a one beat chord that exists to connect. On the fretboard, the familiar C♯m barre at fret 4 puts G♯ at the 6th fret of the D string; pull that note back one fret and release the barre and you are holding C#dim. If a chart in D major shows C♯ with a small circle, it wants this chord, not the minor.

C#dim chord questions

What songs use C#dim?

Blackbird by The Beatles is the famous one: the verse walks C, C#dim, D and later D, Ebdim, Em. Any song in D major that climbs from the IV chord to the V this way passes through C#dim.

What is the difference between C#dim and C#dim7?

C#dim is the three note triad: C♯, E, G. C#dim7 adds B♭ on top for a four note chord with a heavier sound. Charts that write C#dim or C#° mean the triad; the shapes here are what they ask for.

Are C#dim and Dbdim the same chord?

Yes. C♯ and D♭ are the same pitch, so the two names cover the same notes and shapes. Sharps are more common for this one because it usually appears in D major.

Is C#dim hard to play?

Middling. No barre is needed, but the four finger cluster takes some getting used to. In Blackbird style playing you often only need two or three strings of it at a time.

What does C#dim resolve to?

D major, one half step up, or Dm. It shares three of the four notes of A7, which resolves to D the same way.