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Guitar chords · Half-diminished 7th

Bm7♭5 chord on guitar (Bm7b5)

Bm7♭5 (B 7th) has four notes: B, D, F and A, the , ♭3, ♭5 and ♭7.

Shapes

How to play Bm7♭5

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

Bm7♭5 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 2 or the E shape at fret 7. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 2

    ××R♭5♭7♭3BFAD
  • E shape · fret 7

    6fr××R♭7♭3♭5BADF
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes Bm7♭5 half-diminished 7th

A is a with a minor 7th added, also written ø7. It is the vii chord of a major key with sevenths, and the ii chord of a minor key, where it leads into V in a minor ii–V–i.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd, the ♭5th and the ♭7th make Bm7♭5 a .

  1. BRroot
  2. D♭3essential
  3. F♭5essential
  4. A♭7essential
EADGBE0135791215BBBBBBBBFADFADFADFADFADFADFADFADF
  • B, the root
  • Other chord tones

Bm7♭5 usually leads to E7 and then Am: the iiø7–V7–i of A minor.

Keys

Keys with Bm7♭5

Bm7♭5 belongs to two keys: C major (viiø7) and A minor (iiø7).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Progressions

Progressions with Bm7♭5

Common progressions that use Bm7♭5, each in a key that spells it Bm7♭5. The outlined chord is Bm7♭5.

  • Minor ii–V–i in A minor

    iiø7 – V7 – i7

    1. Bm7♭5
    2. E7
    3. Am7

    Half-diminished ii, dominant V7 and back to the minor tonic.

    Heard in Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves

Slash chords

Bm7♭5 over another bass note

A keeps Bm7♭5 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • Bm7♭5/D

    Bm7♭5 with its ♭3rd, D, in the bass: the first inversion.

  • Bm7♭5/F

    Bm7♭5 with its ♭5th, F, in the bass: the second inversion.

  • Bm7♭5/A

    Bm7♭5 with its ♭7th, A, in the bass: the third inversion.

Questions

Bm7♭5, in short

What notes are in the Bm7♭5 chord?
Bm7♭5 (B 7th) has four notes: B, D, F and A, the , ♭3, ♭5 and ♭7.
How do you play Bm7♭5 on guitar?
Bm7♭5 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 2 or the E shape at fret 7.
What key is Bm7♭5 in?
Bm7♭5 belongs to two keys: C major (viiø7) and A minor (iiø7).
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