m7b5 (m7-5) chords

The Minor 7th flat 5th Chord is an alternation of the minor seventh chord, and is also called Half-diminished or Minor 7th minus 5th. This chord is a minor seventh except that the fifth are lowered one step. By comparing Cm7 with Cm7b5 we could see that the notes changes from C, Eb, G, Bb to C, Eb, Gb, Bb.

The easiest way to play these chords are by the movable shape presented in the diagrams below (Am7b5 is partly an exception, with two open strings).

Minor 7th flat 5th

C7#9

C#m7b5

Dm7b5

D#m7b5

Em7b5

Fm7b5

F#m7b5

Gm7b5

G#m7b5

Am7b5

A#m7b5

Bm7b5

Comment

Am7b5 could of course also be played as x 12 13 12 13 x.

Chord construction

Cm7b5 x - x - C - Gb - Bb - Eb
C#m7b5 x - x - C# - G - B - E
Dm7b5 x - x - D - Ab - C - F
D#m7b5 x - x - D# - A - Db - Gb
Em7b5 x - x - E - Bb - D - G
Fm7b5 x - x - F - B - Eb - Ab
F#m7b5 x - x - F# - C - E - A
Gm7b5 x - x - G - Db - F - Bb
G#m7b5 x - x - G# - D - Gb - B
Am7b5 x - x - A - Eb - G - C
A#m7b5 x - x - A# - E - Ab - Db
Bm7b5 x - x - B - F - A - D
Guitar versions of the chord

Notes in chord

Cm7b5 C - Eb - Gb - Bb
C#m7b5 C# - E - G - B
Dm7b5 D - F - Ab - C
D#m7b5 D# - F# - A - C#
Em7b5 E - G - Bb - D
Fm7b5 F - Ab - B - Eb
F#m7b5 F# - A - C - E
Gm7b5 G - Bb - Db - F
G#m7b5 G# - B - D - F#
Am7b5 A - C - Eb - G
A#m7b5 A# - C# - E - G#
Bm7b5 B - D - F - A
The intervals are 1 – 3b – 5b – b7

How and when to use half-diminished chords

These chords are, for example, used as an in-between chord. It can be used both in its own key or in other keys which its tones partly match.

It could substitute 7th or 9th chords, for example, and especially the V chord. An example in which Em7b5 substitute the V chord:

Gmaj7 - Bm7 - Em7 - Em7b5 - Am7

Chord progressions

Progressions including this chord type:

Am7 - Bm7b5 - E7

Am7 - Abm7b5 - G7

Dm7 - Dm7b5 - G7 - Cmaj7

C7 - Em7b5 - A7 - Dm7 - G7

Minor seventh flat fifth is often used as in between chord in blues and jazz progressions.

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