Fm7b5 Guitar Chord
Fm7b5 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 F, Ab, Cb (= B) and Eb. Below are 2 ways to play it, each with a chord diagram, tab and finger numbers.
Notes in Fm7b5
| Note | Degree | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| F | R | Root |
| Ab | b3 | Minor 3rd |
| Cb (= B) | b5 | Diminished 5th |
| Eb | b7 | Minor 7th |
Formula: 1–b3–b5–b7
Cb is the correct spelling of this note in this chord. On the guitar it is the same pitch as B.
Fm7b5 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
- Tab (6th → 1st string)
- 1 2 1 1 x x
- Fingers
- 1 2 1 1 – –
A-shape 8fr
Easiest- Tab (6th → 1st string)
- x 8 9 8 9 x
- Fingers
- – 2 3 1 4 –
How to play Fm7b5 (easiest shape)
Shape: A-shape 8fr, tab x 8 9 8 9 x (6th to 1st string).
- 1Put your index finger (1) on the 3rd string at the 8th fret.
- 2Put your middle finger (2) on the 5th string at the 8th fret.
- 3Put your ring finger (3) on the 4th string at the 9th fret.
- 4Put your pinky (4) on the 2nd string at the 9th fret.
- 5Don't play the 6th string.
- 6Keep the 1st string quiet: stop your strum at the 2nd string, or let a fretting finger touch it lightly.
- 7Strum down from the 5th string to the 2nd string.
Fm7b5: common questions
- What notes are in the Fm7b5 chord?
- Fm7b5 has 4 notes: F, Ab, Cb (= B) and Eb. Counted from the root, that is 1–b3–b5–b7.
- Is there an easier way to play Fm7b5?
- The easiest shape on this page is "A-shape 8fr" (x 8 9 8 9 x). It needs no barre: each finger presses just one string.
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