A Bb flat 5 chord contains one or more notes with flat notes, commonly referred to as Bbm7b5 or B flat half diminished chord.
This article will explain how to construct this chord from its various voicings and highlight some key characteristics and how best to play it.
Root Note
Root notes of chords are its lowest note and often serve as the starting point for their voicings. Most commonly found on the lowest string of your fretboard, however they could appear anywhere along it depending on its structure.
The fifth note is one of the most often-used root notes in minor scale music and can be used to form various chords – for instance, Bbm7b5 is often a substitute dominant seventh chord that works well with many songs especially 12 Bar Blues songs.
To locate the root note of a chord on a fretboard, begin by considering its name or diagram and the first letter thereof; that note corresponds with one of the scale notes on its right-side and is therefore its root note.
Sometimes the root of a chord won’t appear on a diagram; in these instances it is best to find its lowest note and use this method of identification as it works with any type of chord be it major, minor, diminished, or augmented.
Most chords are composed of three stacked thirds and typically have their roots at the lowest note in each triad, though there are exceptions to this rule and in such instances the root may either be on either the lower or upper note of a chord. Knowing which note forms your tonic chord can determine its construction method.
Root notes are essential when it comes to building chord progressions on the fretboard. By understanding patterns of root notes and their respective chord tones, learning how to switch chords more easily while performing music. If you can memorize root positions on B string with ease and can move up and down strings with just one finger you could move easily between major sixth chord and minor fifth chord without difficulty.
Major Third
The Major Third is one of the most pivotal intervals in music and will likely appear when playing chords or melodies with any type of sound source. A major third spans four semitones between two notes and is considered an imperfect consonance due to not having as many harmonic resonance as unisons, octaves and perfect fourths (the three most harmonic intervals within scales), yet when played well, can provide great harmonic tension and interest within chords.
Major thirds are most frequently employed in triads. A major triad consists of three notes – its root note, major third and minor third – connected together by three vertical lines. If you want to learn chords, having knowledge of these basic triads is essential – they’re also used to form diminished and augmented chords.
Equal temperament uses three major thirds as equivalent to an octave (such as A, C and E). This pattern of three major thirds is known as the circle of fifths, making it easy for musicians to quickly switch keys by following its pattern on the staff. It can also serve as an effective memory aid.
Major thirds are an integral component of many commonly-used chords on guitar. When a chord features root note, major third, and minor third, it forms the basis for dominating seventh chords – an essential part of many guitarists’ repertoires that provide power and tension.
There are various voicings of dominant seventh chords that can be utilized on guitar, and understanding their construction is of utmost importance for any serious musician. Luckily, major thirds are easy to remember in most tunings – for instance in standard tuning they would appear as B flat major thirds on one string while two other strings form perfect fourths.
The major third is also essential when learning scales as it forms the basis of many major modes. Being familiar with their construction will be vital if one wishes to pursue jazz or classical music seriously.
Minor Third
The minor third is a musical interval spanning two notes with a whole and half step distance or three semitones between them, known as three semitones. It is one of two commonly occurring thirds (major third spans four staff positions). Sometimes referred to as a flat note – usually in relation to C as C can vary in sharpness – this interval occurs frequently within Harmonic minor and Minor Pentatonic scales.
Minor thirds are frequently employed when building harmonic minor chords, blues and jazz chords, diatonic scales and arpeggios – not to mention many diatonic scales and arpeggios – using it can give your chord a darker sound with dissonant overtones; for instance a minor chord with root note and minor third is much more likely to contain tension than its major equivalent with same interval.
Music theory can also be used to create chord extensions other than triads – these chords don’t rely on root note and minor third alone for their structure, but include additional notes as part of its root, creating unique sounds and emotions from those familiar triads we hear all too frequently.
An added minor third to a dominant 7th chord can give it a less dissonant sound by creating tension within the chord and changing its sound quality. A third acts as an interval that defines its major to minor quality. You could use it to replace dominant seventh with minor seventh or alter its sound by increasing tension.
Minor thirds can also be used to form diminished triads. Since a minor third is an interval with perfect characteristics for creating diminished chords with ease, creating them is also ideal for creating chords with interesting chromaticism that make for interesting listening experiences.
Compare minor and major intervals against one another as an effective way of understanding their differences and their effect on chord sound. For instance, by playing two chords such as Bbmaj7b5 followed by Bbmaj7#11 you’ll discover that its flattened fifth is more dissonant than its natural fifth in one chord or vice versa.
Major Fifth
The major fifth is an interval that exists between any two notes that share a key. It is one of four perfect intervals (unisons, octaves, 4ths and 5ths) that make up the diatonic scale, named for when raised by adding one semitone it produces a major chord.
At times, major fifths may be flattened to form diminished fifths (often known as deg5) which are still perfect intervals but not major ones. Depending on its context and use, deg5s can add either minor or major sounds depending on their use as chord addends or subtracters.
Altering major and minor fifths to create new chords is possible via various techniques, leading to new chords being formed. These triads may then be played alongside other chords to form new progressions.
A chord which contains a major seventh flat 5 is known as a dominant seventh flat five chord, as its unique flatted fifth gives it its distinct sound.
There may also be dominant seventh flat five chords that don’t contain the flatted fifth, such as Bbmaj7#11. While these won’t produce identical sounds and could clash, it’s essential that your ears serve as your guide in hearing these differences and taking note.
Most people find the easiest way to remember major and minor fifths is by learning to play the Circle of Fifths, which begins at C and follows its path around to D, each step being one perfect fifth up from its predecessor note. Playing this music helps develop both major and minor chord structures as well as your melodic ear.
Major chords with flat fifths can produce some very interesting tonalities when played alongside other chords, yet when used improperly they can create dissonant and dramatic sounds that require further exploration to understand properly. Learning how to work with such chords takes practice but is well worth your while in the end!