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Guitar chords · Half-diminished 7th

A♯m7♭5 chord on guitar (A#m7b5)

A♯m7♭5 (A♯ 7th) has four notes: A♯, C♯, E and G♯, the , ♭3, ♭5 and ♭7.

Shapes

How to play A♯m7♭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.

A♯m7♭5 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 1 or the E shape at fret 6. 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 1

    ××R♭5♭7♭3A♯EG♯C♯
  • E shape · fret 6

    5fr××R♭7♭3♭5A♯G♯C♯E
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes A♯m7♭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 A♯m7♭5 a .

  1. A♯Rroot
  2. C♯♭3essential
  3. E♭5essential
  4. G♯♭7essential
EADGBE0135791215A♯A♯A♯A♯A♯A♯A♯A♯EG♯C♯EC♯EG♯EG♯C♯EG♯C♯EG♯C♯EG♯C♯EG♯C♯E
  • A♯, the root
  • Other chord tones

A♯m7♭5 usually leads to D♯7 and then G♯m: the iiø7–V7–i of G♯ minor.

A♯m7♭5 and B♭m7♭5 are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with A♯m7♭5

A♯m7♭5 belongs to two keys: B major (viiø7) and G♯ 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 A♯m7♭5

Common progressions that use A♯m7♭5, each in a key that spells it A♯m7♭5. The outlined chord is A♯m7♭5.

  • Minor ii–V–i in G♯ minor

    iiø7 – V7 – i7

    1. A♯m7♭5
    2. D♯7
    3. G♯m7

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

    Heard in Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves

Slash chords

A♯m7♭5 over another bass note

A keeps A♯m7♭5 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • A♯m7♭5/C♯

    A♯m7♭5 with its ♭3rd, C♯, in the bass: the first inversion.

  • A♯m7♭5/E

    A♯m7♭5 with its ♭5th, E, in the bass: the second inversion.

  • A♯m7♭5/G♯

    A♯m7♭5 with its ♭7th, G♯, in the bass: the third inversion.

Questions

A♯m7♭5, in short

What notes are in the A♯m7♭5 chord?
A♯m7♭5 (A♯ 7th) has four notes: A♯, C♯, E and G♯, the , ♭3, ♭5 and ♭7.
How do you play A♯m7♭5 on guitar?
A♯m7♭5 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 1 or the E shape at fret 6.
What key is A♯m7♭5 in?
A♯m7♭5 belongs to two keys: B major (viiø7) and G♯ minor (iiø7).
Is A♯m7♭5 the same as B♭m7♭5?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. A♯m7♭5 is the spelling in B major and G♯ minor; B♭m7♭5 in C♭ major and A♭ minor, which most players write as B major and G♯ minor.
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