Adim Ukulele Chord
Need the Adim chord for a song? It is a barre shape, which feels awkward at first but is well worth learning. Your fingers go on the g, C, E and A strings. The steps below show exactly where each one sits.
- Notes: A, C and Eb
- Frets: 2 3 5 3
- Tuning: g C E A
Adim ukulele chord details
- Type
- Diminished triad
- Also known as
- A diminished
- Formula
- 1 b3 b5
- Intervals
- A (root), C (minor 3rd), Eb (diminished 5th)
- Notes
- A, C and Eb
- Frets
- 2 3 5 3
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Tuning
- Standard (g C E A)
How to play the Adim chord
Here is the Adim chord step by step:
- Put your index finger on the 2nd fret of the g string.
- Put your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the C string.
- Put your little finger on the 5th fret of the E string.
- Put your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the A string.
- Strum all four strings.
It is a bit of a stretch, so go slow and let your hand learn the shape. These quick tips for tricky chords help. New to these grids? Have a look at how to read a ukulele chord diagram.
What notes are in the Adim chord?
The Adim chord is built from three notes: A, C and Eb (the root, minor 3rd and diminished 5th). On the ukulele the A is doubled, so you get a nice full sound. Diminished chords are tense and dark, usually used as a quick passing chord between two others rather than on their own.
Ukulele songs that use the Adim chord
The Adim chord belongs to B♭ Major (the vii°) and G Minor (the ii°). Each key page shows the rest of that family, the progressions that use it and songs to play.
Want to go further?
Once Adim feels comfortable, its close relatives are worth exploring: try A7, Amaj7, Am and A. Diminished chords work as passing chords, so you will usually slide Adim between two others rather than rest on it. Then put it into a strumming pattern. When you are ready, try some easy ukulele songs.