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Guitar chords · Half-diminished 7th

Cm7♭5 chord on guitar (Cm7b5)

Cm7♭5 (C 7th) has four notes: C, E♭, G♭ and B♭, the , ♭3, ♭5 and ♭7.

Shapes

How to play Cm7♭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.

Cm7♭5 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 3 or the E shape at fret 8. 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 3

    ××R♭5♭7♭3CG♭B♭E♭
  • E shape · fret 8

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

Notes and formula

What makes Cm7♭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 Cm7♭5 a .

  1. CRroot
  2. E♭♭3essential
  3. G♭♭5essential
  4. B♭♭7essential
EADGBE0135791215CCCCCCCCG♭B♭E♭G♭B♭E♭G♭B♭E♭G♭B♭E♭B♭E♭G♭B♭E♭G♭B♭G♭B♭E♭G♭
  • C, the root
  • Other chord tones

Cm7♭5 usually leads to F7 and then B♭m: the iiø7–V7–i of B♭ minor.

Keys

Keys with Cm7♭5

Cm7♭5 belongs to two keys: D♭ major (viiø7) and B♭ 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 Cm7♭5

Common progressions that use Cm7♭5, each in a key that spells it Cm7♭5. The outlined chord is Cm7♭5.

  • Minor ii–V–i in B♭ minor

    iiø7 – V7 – i7

    1. Cm7♭5
    2. F7
    3. B♭m7

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

    Heard in Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves

Slash chords

Cm7♭5 over another bass note

A keeps Cm7♭5 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • Cm7♭5/E♭

    Cm7♭5 with its ♭3rd, E♭, in the bass: the first inversion.

  • Cm7♭5/G♭

    Cm7♭5 with its ♭5th, G♭, in the bass: the second inversion.

  • Cm7♭5/B♭

    Cm7♭5 with its ♭7th, B♭, in the bass: the third inversion.

Questions

Cm7♭5, in short

What notes are in the Cm7♭5 chord?
Cm7♭5 (C 7th) has four notes: C, E♭, G♭ and B♭, the , ♭3, ♭5 and ♭7.
How do you play Cm7♭5 on guitar?
Cm7♭5 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 3 or the E shape at fret 8.
What key is Cm7♭5 in?
Cm7♭5 belongs to two keys: D♭ major (viiø7) and B♭ minor (iiø7).
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