C♯dim7 / D♭dim7 Chord on Guitar

1,008 guitar chords with several shapes each, finger numbers, difficulty and real sound, in any tuning.

C♯dim7 (also written D♭dim7) is a diminished seventh chord made of 4 notes: C♯, E, G, B♭. It sounds spooky and suspenseful, and you hear it in passing chords, old film scores and dramatic moments; any note of it can be the root.

The library above opens on C♯dim7 with 14 shapes up and down the neck. Tap a shape to hear it, or play it one string at a time.

Notes in C♯dim7

Note	Degree	Interval from C♯	Semitones
C♯	1	root	0
E	♭3	minor third	3
G	♭5	diminished fifth	6
B♭	𝄫7	diminished seventh	9

Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – 𝄫7. With the other spelling, D♭dim7 is D♭, F♭, A𝄫, C𝄫: the same sounds under different names.

How to play C♯dim7

Fret 3Easyx4535x

Fret 8Easy9(10)89xx

Fret 11Easyxx(11)(12)(11)(12)

A-shape barre at fret 2Mediumx42323

E-shape barre at fret 9Medium9(10)(11)9(11)9

Fret 4Easyx4x056

Fret 3 (root on the 5th string), step by step

1st finger (index): 3rd string, 3rd fret (B♭, the diminished seventh).
2nd finger (middle): 5th string, 4th fret (C♯, the root).
3rd finger (ring): 4th string, 5th fret (G, the flat fifth).
4th finger (little): 2nd string, 5th fret (E, the minor third).
Strum from the 5th string, and keep the 6th string and 1st string quiet (touch the muted string lightly with the finger next to it).

Tips

The fret 3 shape is the one to learn first. Once it is easy, try the shape at the 8th fret (9(10)89xx): the same chord, higher and brighter, handy when the chords before and after it sit up the neck.

Where C♯dim7 fits

C♯dim7 is not built from one major or minor scale, so it works as a colour or passing chord. Passing chords, old film scores and dramatic moments; any note of it can be the root.