C♯dim7 chord on piano
C♯dim7 is C♯, E, G and B♭. C♯ sits on the black key between C and D. Press Play to hear it, then try it at half speed.
root position · C♯–E–G–B♭ · right hand 1-2-3-5
- Notes
- C♯ · E · G · B♭
- Formula
- 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭♭7
How to play C♯dim7 on piano
Count keys (black and white) from C♯: 3 half steps up to E, 3 half steps up to G then 3 half steps up to B♭. Those 4 keys are C♯dim7.
- Right hand: 1 on C♯, 2 on E, 3 on G and 5 on B♭.
- Left hand: 5 on C♯, 3 on E, 2 on G and 1 on B♭.
- On the keyboard it's black, white, white and black keys, the same pattern as F♯dim7, so your hand shape carries over.
C♯dim7 inversions
- root position: C♯–E–G–B♭. Right hand 1-2-3-5.
- 1st inversion: E–G–B♭–C♯, E lowest. RH 1-2-3-5.
- 2nd inversion: G–B♭–C♯–E, G lowest. Fingers 1-2-3-5.
- 3rd inversion: B♭–C♯–E–G, with B♭ at the bottom. Right hand 1-2-3-5.
Nobody plays every chord in root position. The inversions let C♯dim7 sit wherever the previous chord left your hand.
Moving between C♯dim7 and its neighbours
The chords C♯dim7 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- D (leads up a half step): C♯dim7 to D: play D in root position (D–F♯–A), while C♯ moves up to D, G down to F♯ and B♭ down to A. D on piano
- Dm (leads up a half step): C♯dim7 to Dm: play Dm in root position (D–F–A), while C♯ moves up to D, E up to F and B♭ down to A. Dm on piano
- F♯ (a fifth down): C♯dim7 to F♯: play F♯ in 2nd inversion (C♯–F♯–A♯) and C♯ and A♯ stay under the same fingers, while G moves down to F♯. F♯ on piano
C♯dim7 is a diminished seventh: three minor thirds stacked, so the chord divides the octave into four equal parts. C♯dim7 can stand in for a dominant seventh a half step below, which is why it links chords so smoothly. On piano you hear it best with the keys pressed together, then rolled.
Getting C♯dim7 under your fingers
Play C♯dim7 broken, one key at a time: C♯, E, G, B♭, G, E, C♯. Then press the keys together and check that all 4 sound at the same volume. Then climb the inversions: C♯–E–G–B♭, then E–G–B♭–C♯, then G–B♭–C♯–E, then B♭–C♯–E–G.
The keys of C♯dim7
C♯dim7 is a diminished seventh chord, 1–♭3–♭5–♭♭7 from C♯. Root position, from the bottom: how C♯dim7 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| C♯ | black key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| E | white key | RH 2 · LH 3 | minor third |
| G | white key | RH 3 · LH 2 | diminished fifth |
| B♭ | black key | RH 5 · LH 1 | diminished seventh |
D♭dim7 is another spelling of C♯dim7. Same keys, same sound.
C♯dim7 in context
C♯dim7 on guitar and ukulele
The same notes on another instrument: C♯dim7 on guitar and C♯dim7 on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.
Close to C♯dim7
Other diminished seventh chords
C♯dim7 on piano: questions
What notes are in C♯dim7 on piano?
C♯, E, G and B♭: C♯ (black key), E (white key), G (white key) and B♭ (black key). Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
How do you play C♯dim7 on piano?
Press C♯, E, G and B♭ together (2 black, 2 white). Right hand: 1 on C♯, 2 on E, 3 on G and 5 on B♭.
What are the inversions of C♯dim7?
1st inversion (E–G–B♭–C♯), 2nd inversion (G–B♭–C♯–E) and 3rd inversion (B♭–C♯–E–G), after root position (C♯–E–G–B♭). Same notes, a different one at the bottom.
What does C♯dim7 look like on the keyboard?
black, white, white and black keys, the same pattern as F♯dim7, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Shapes and sound are generated from the notes C♯, E, G and B♭ and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.