A♯ Diminished Triads on Guitar: Every Inversion on Every String Set

A A♯ diminished triad is A♯, C♯ and E (1 ♭3 ♭5). It has three arrangements, root position, first inversion and second inversion, and each can be played on four groups of three strings: all twelve shapes are below.

Keys

Triads — A♯°

Root position

9C shape
12A shape
2G shape
5E shape

The notes of A♯°

A♯ diminished is two minor thirds stacked, so the outer notes are a diminished fifth (six frets) apart. Root position puts A♯ at the bottom (A♯, C♯ and E); first inversion puts C♯ at the bottom (C♯, E and A♯); second inversion puts E at the bottom (E, A♯ and C♯).

It's the same pitch as B♭°; this page uses A♯ because it's spelled with fewer sharps or flats.

A♯° on every string set

On the low E, A and D strings: root position at frets 2–6, first inversion at frets 7–9 and second inversion at frets 0–13.

A♯° triad, root position, on the low E, A and D strings: A sharp (root) on the low E string, fret 6; C sharp on the A string, fret 4; E on the D string, fret 2.
Root position
A♯° triad, first inversion, on the low E, A and D strings: C sharp on the low E string, fret 9; E on the A string, fret 7; A sharp (root) on the D string, fret 8.
First inversion
A♯° triad, second inversion, on the low E, A and D strings: E on the low E string, fret 0; A sharp (root) on the A string, fret 13; C sharp on the D string, fret 11.
Second inversion

On the A, D and G strings: root position at frets 9–13, first inversion at frets 2–4 and second inversion at frets 6–8.

A♯° triad, root position, on the A, D and G strings: A sharp (root) on the A string, fret 13; C sharp on the D string, fret 11; E on the G string, fret 9.
Root position
A♯° triad, first inversion, on the A, D and G strings: C sharp on the A string, fret 4; E on the D string, fret 2; A sharp (root) on the G string, fret 3.
First inversion
A♯° triad, second inversion, on the A, D and G strings: E on the A string, fret 7; A sharp (root) on the D string, fret 8; C sharp on the G string, fret 6.
Second inversion

On the D, G and B strings: root position at frets 5–8, first inversion at frets 9–11 and second inversion at frets 2–3.

A♯° triad, root position, on the D, G and B strings: A sharp (root) on the D string, fret 8; C sharp on the G string, fret 6; E on the B string, fret 5.
Root position
A♯° triad, first inversion, on the D, G and B strings: C sharp on the D string, fret 11; E on the G string, fret 9; A sharp (root) on the B string, fret 11.
First inversion
A♯° triad, second inversion, on the D, G and B strings: E on the D string, fret 2; A sharp (root) on the G string, fret 3; C sharp on the B string, fret 2.
Second inversion

On the G, B and high e strings: root position at frets 0–3, first inversion at frets 5–6 and second inversion at frets 9–11.

A♯° triad, root position, on the G, B and high e strings: A sharp (root) on the G string, fret 3; C sharp on the B string, fret 2; E on the high e string, fret 0.
Root position
A♯° triad, first inversion, on the G, B and high e strings: C sharp on the G string, fret 6; E on the B string, fret 5; A sharp (root) on the high e string, fret 6.
First inversion
A♯° triad, second inversion, on the G, B and high e strings: E on the G string, fret 9; A sharp (root) on the B string, fret 11; C sharp on the high e string, fret 9.
Second inversion

Where the inversions sit in the CAGED shapes

The practice pad above shows A♯°'s triads inside each CAGED shape. Use the R, 2, 3 and V switches to see each arrangement:

  • Root position: C shape (fret 9), A shape (fret 12), G shape (fret 2) and E shape (fret 5).
  • First inversion: C shape (fret 9), A shape (fret 2) and E shape (fret 5).
  • Second inversion: C shape (fret 9), A shape (fret 2) and E shape (fret 6).

Where A♯° appears

A♯° belongs to 4 keys: vii° in B major; ii° in G♯ minor; ii° in G♯ harmonic minor and vii° in B harmonic minor.

None of them is one of the open-string guitar keys (C, G, D, A, E and their relative minors), so A♯° is more often met in piano-led songs, horn arrangements and with a capo.

Open strings and capo options for A♯°

Two open strings are part of A♯°: the low E string (the fifth) and the high e string (the fifth). None of them is the root, so they colour a voicing rather than anchor it.

The A♯° symmetry

A♯° is two minor thirds. Add a third minor third and you get a diminished seventh chord, which divides the octave into four: A♯°, C♯°, E° and G° all sit inside the same diminished seventh, so each shares two notes with A♯°.

A diminished triad is unstable: A♯°'s root is a semitone below B, and that's the chord it most wants to move to.

A♯° triad FAQs

What notes are in a A♯ diminished triad?

A♯, C♯ and E. The formula is 1 ♭3 ♭5.

What is the first inversion of A♯°?

C♯, E and A♯, with C♯ in the bass. On the G, B and high e strings it sits at fret 6, fret 5 and fret 6.

How many A♯° triad shapes are there?

Twelve to learn: root position and two inversions on each of the four three-string sets. They repeat twelve frets higher.

Learn more

How to use guitar triads explains inversions and how to use them in rhythm parts and solos, and triads on all string sets goes through each set in turn. The triad library has every chord.