Em7b5 Guitar Chord
Em7b5 is a minor seven flat five (half-diminished) chord. It is a minor chord with a flattened fifth plus a minor seventh, and in minor keys it often comes just before a dominant seventh chord. Its notes are E, G, Bb and D. Below are 2 ways to play it, each with a chord diagram, tab and finger numbers.
Notes in Em7b5
| Note | Degree | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| E | R | Root |
| G | b3 | Minor 3rd |
| Bb | b5 | Diminished 5th |
| D | b7 | Minor 7th |
Formula: 1–b3–b5–b7
Em7b5 chord shapes
Finger numbers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. In the tab, x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. In the diagrams the top line is the 1st (thinnest) string and the nut is on the left.
E-shape 1fr
Easiest- Tab (6th → 1st string)
- 0 1 0 0 x x
- Fingers
- – 1 – – – –
A-shape 7fr
- Tab (6th → 1st string)
- x 7 8 7 8 x
- Fingers
- – 2 3 1 4 –
How to play Em7b5 (easiest shape)
Shape: E-shape 1fr, tab 0 1 0 0 x x (6th to 1st string).
- 1Put your index finger (1) on the 5th string at the 1st fret.
- 2Let the 6th, 4th and 3rd strings ring open.
- 3Keep the 2nd and 1st strings quiet: stop your strum at the 3rd string, or let a fretting finger touch them lightly.
- 4Strum down from the 6th string to the 3rd string.
Em7b5: common questions
- What notes are in the Em7b5 chord?
- Em7b5 has 4 notes: E, G, Bb and D. Counted from the root, that is 1–b3–b5–b7.
- Is there an easier way to play Em7b5?
- The easiest shape on this page is "E-shape 1fr" (0 1 0 0 x x). It needs no barre: each finger presses just one string.
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