What's a Half-Diminished Chord (m7b5)

What is a Half-diminished Chord?

Minor 7 flat 5 chord is close to a diminished 7th chord, the first 3 notes are identical, but the 4th is different. This chord can be written in two ways: m7b5 or Ø. If you do not know how to play and what is a diminished 7th chord, you can read this page about diminished chord voicings. 

As is it shown in the chart below, the half-diminished chord is built with a root (1), a minor third (b3), a flat fifth (b5) and a minor 7th (b7). The diminished 7th chord has a diminished 7th instead of the minor seventh. This is the only difference between these two chords.

You can find the half-diminished chord in a number of harmonized scales. For example the 7th degree of the major scale, the 2nd degree of the harmonic minor scale and the 6th and 7th degree of the melodic minor scale.

The major harmonized scale

When you harmonize in thirds the degree VII of the major scale you obtain a m7b5 chord.

The harmonic minor harmonized scale

When you harmonize in thirds the degree II of the harmonic minor scale you get a m7b5 chord.

The melodic minor harmonized scale

When you harmonize in thirds the degrees VI and VII of the major scale you obtain two m7b5 chords.

Here are the three main m7b5 guitar chord shapes. The first one is drop 3 voiced whereas the two other voicings are drop 2.

How to use the half-diminished chord

The m7b5 chord can be found in different contexts and is used in different substitutions. For example, when playing a minor II V I progression, the 2nd degree is a m7b5.

The half-diminished chord is specially a leading chord, the sound strongly pulls towards resolution. It is possible to use it as a diatonic substitution for a dominant 7th chord. Try to play the m7b5 a major 3rd higher than the dominant 7 chord to replace it. For example, use Bm7b5 for G7. 

• This II-V-I : Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 becomes Dm7 | B-7b5 | Cmaj7

You can use the m7b5 as a substitution for a minor 7th chord, built from a minor third below. Meaning that you can replace Cm7 chord with Am7b5.

• This II-V-I : Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 becomes Bm7b5 | G7 | Cmaj7

The minor seventh flat five chord is also an inversion of the minor 6 chord. This is a minor 6 chord with the sixth in the bass. Here is a comparison between them.

As you see in the guitar neck diagrams below, the minor 6 and m7b5 chord shapes are exactly the same. 

• 

  40 Minor II V I Licks

  This guitar method is a printable PDF with tabs, diagrams, theory and audio files providing 40 minor II V I jazz licks.
• 

  40 II V I Jazz Guitar Licks

  This pdf method for guitar contains 40 II V I jazz guitar lines with tab, standard notation, analysis, scale charts and audio files.
• 

  50 II-V-I voicings

  This guitar method is a printable PDF eBook contains 50 exercises with audio files, analysis, tab & standard notation on how to play over II-V-I chord progressions using different kind of voicings.
• 

  40 Mixolydian Jazz Guitar Lick

  This package contains a guitar method available as a PDF with tabs, audio files and theory providing 40 dominant jazz guitar lines for teachers and students.
• 

  40 Minor (Dorian) Jazz Guitar

  This printable guitar method in PDF format contains 40 easy minor jazz guitar lines based on the Dorian mode.
• 

  40 Major Jazz Guitar Licks

  Printable PDF eBook method containing 40 major jazz guitar licks with tab, standard notation and audio files for beginners and intermediates.
• 

  Diatonic Licks Bundle

  This package contains 120 jazz guitar lines based on diatonic modes as Mixolydian, Dorian and Ionian. PDF format with tabs, audio files and analysis.
• 

  Guitar Walking Bass Lines NEW

  This jazz guitar method about walking bass lines and chords is available as a PDF files containing 35 exercises with tabs, analysis and audio files
• 

  101 Dominant Arpeggio Patterns

  This printable PDF method provides 101 dominant arpeggio exercises with tab, theory and standard notation for the jazz, blues and rock guitarist.
• 

  49 Essential Jazz Lines

  This printable eBook method in PDF format provides 49 jazz solo transcriptions of the greatest jazz musicians of all times with TABS, standard notation, audio files and analysis both for guitar teachers and students.
• 

  11 Jazz Blues Studies

  This PDF method contains 11 guitar lessons with chord studies, tabs, standard notation, analysis & audio files about the main blues progressions used in jazz music.
• 

  Mastering The Altered Scale

  This PDF eBook method contains 25 altered jazz guitar licks with tabs, patterns, scale charts and audio files to master, apply and develop the altered scale.
• 

  40 Blues Dominant patterns

  This printable method is available as a PDF file containing 40 easy dominant jazz-blues guitar lines with tabs, standard notation, analysis, audio files and scale charts.
• 

  Mastering Pentatonic Scales

  This jazz guitar method is an eBook available as a PDF with standard notation, guitar tabs, diagrams, analysis, audio files and backing tracks. You will find in this booklet 25 easy jazz guitar lines with theory using common and rare pentatonic scales.
• 

  25 Soul Jazz Guitar Licks

  You will find here an eBook available in PDF containing 25 soul jazz and hard bop guitar licks in the style of Grant Green, Melvin Sparks, George Benson. These jazz lines come with tabs, standard notation, guitar neck diagrams, backing track for practice and 25 audio files for each riff.
• 

  25 Diminished Patterns

  This eBook PDF with audio files contains 25 dominant diminished jazz guitar patterns using the half-whole diminished scale and diminished 7th arpeggios.
• 

  6 Tritone substitution licks

  This Printable PDF eBook available for free download contains 6 easy jazz guitar licks with tabs/notation, youtube video link and analysis about the tritone substitution.