# G♯ Diminished piano chord (G♯dim)

G♯dim contains G♯, B and D. Two stacked minor thirds. G♯ is a black key; B and D are white.

- Canonical page: https://piano.org/chords/diminished/g-sharp/
- Entity: chord:diminished:g-sharp
- Notes: G♯ B D
- Formula: 1 ♭3 ♭5
- Intervals from root: P1, m3, TT
- Interval stack (semitones): 3 3
- Also written: G♯dim, G#dim, G♯ diminished
- Parameters: A440, 12-TET, 165 mm octave, spans centre to centre

## Construction

| Degree | Note | Interval from root | Semitones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | G♯ | Perfect unison | 0 |
| ♭3 | B | Minor third | 3 |
| ♭5 | D | Tritone | 6 |

## Fingering

Rest your right hand over the notes with finger 1 on G♯, finger 3 on B, finger 5 on D. The left hand mirrors it.
Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. Source: piano.org fingering method v1.

## Inversions

| Position | Bass | Notes in order | Figured bass | Span |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Root position | G♯ | G♯3 B3 D4 | 5/3 | 6 st, 83 mm |
| First inversion (G♯dim/B) | B | B3 D4 G♯4 | 6/3 | 9 st, 124 mm |
| Second inversion (G♯dim/D) | D | D4 G♯4 B4 | 6/4 | 9 st, 124 mm |

## Voicings (5)

| Voicing | Notes | Span | Relation | Omits or adds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Close, root position | G♯3 B3 D4 | 6 st, 83 mm | identical | none |
| Close, first inversion | B3 D4 G♯4 | 9 st, 124 mm | identical | none |
| Close, second inversion | D4 G♯4 B4 | 9 st, 124 mm | identical | none |
| Open, fifth on top | G♯2 D3 B3 | 15 st, 206 mm | identical | none |
| Root and third only | G♯3 B3 | 3 st, 41 mm | subset | omits D |

## Diatonic function by key

| Key | Roman numeral | Function |
| --- | --- | --- |
| F♯ minor | ii° | Predominant |
| A major | vii° | Dominant function |

Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.

## Progressions (2)

| Progression | Key | Role | Sequence | Voice leading |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ii°, v, i | F♯ minor | ii° | G♯dim to C♯m to F♯m | G♯dim opens the phrase |
| vii°, I | A major | vii° | G♯dim to A | G♯dim opens the phrase |

## One-edit neighbors

| Becomes | Edit | Changes | Common tones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| G♯m7♭5 | 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 | adds F♯ | 3 |
| G♯dim7 | 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7 | adds F | 3 |
| G♯m | 1 ♭3 5 | D becomes D♯ | 2 |
| G♯m7 | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 | D becomes D♯, F♯ | 2 |
| G♯mMaj7 | 1 ♭3 5 7 | D becomes D♯, F× | 2 |
| G♯m6 | 1 ♭3 5 6 | D becomes D♯, E♯ | 2 |
| G♯ | 1 3 5 | B, D becomes B♯, D♯ | 1 |
| G♯aug | 1 3 ♯5 | B, D becomes B♯, D× | 1 |
| G♯sus2 | 1 2 5 | B, D becomes A♯, D♯ | 1 |
| G♯sus4 | 1 4 5 | B, D becomes C♯, D♯ | 1 |

## Set theory

- Absolute pitch classes: {8, 11, 2}
- Relative pitch classes: [0, 3, 6]
- Normal order: [8, 11, 2]
- Prime form: (036)
- Forte number: 3-10
- Interval vector: <002001>

## Frequencies (close root position)

| Note | MIDI | Frequency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| G♯3 | 56 | 207.65 Hz |
| B3 | 59 | 246.94 Hz |
| D4 | 62 | 293.66 Hz |

## Questions and answers

### What notes are in G♯dim?

G♯dim contains G♯, B and D. The formula is 1, ♭3, ♭5.

### How do you play G♯dim on piano?

Play G♯, B and D together. Right hand fingers 1, 3, 5; left hand 5, 3, 1. G♯ is a black key; B and D are white.

### What are the inversions of G♯dim?

3 positions: root position G♯ B D, G♯dim/B, G♯dim/D.

### What keys contain G♯dim?

2: ii° in F♯ minor, vii° in A major.

### What is the difference between G♯dim and G♯m7♭5?

Adds F♯. 3 of the notes are shared.

### What is an easy G♯dim for small hands?

The root and third only voicing, G♯3 B3, spans 3 semitones or about 41 mm.

### What are the frequencies of G♯dim?

From G♯3 at A440 in 12-TET: 207.65, 246.94, 293.66 Hz.

### What is the set class of G♯dim?

Prime form (036), Forte 3-10, interval vector &lt;002001&gt;.

### How do I transpose G♯dim to another key?

Keep the 1, ♭3, ♭5 formula on the new root. Cdim is C, E♭, G♭; C♯dim is C♯, E, G.

### Is A♭dim the same as G♯dim?

Enharmonically yes: the same piano keys and the same sound, spelled differently.

## Provenance

Every derived value above is computed by the piano.org theory kernel from the root, the quality and the stated parameters. Nothing is hand-entered per chord.

Machine record: https://piano.org/api/knowledge/v1/entities/chord:diminished:g-sharp
Last reviewed: 2026-08-12