Minor seventh flat five chords (or am7b5) are half diminished chords with an added flat 5. They make for great choices when creating jazz progressions as they add an earthy blues sound.
This page includes piano and guitar chord diagrams, notes, intervals and scales for the Am7b5 chord. Both open and barre chord versions can be found here.
Barre Chord
Barre chords are among the easiest ukulele chords to learn and play, involving pressing all strings down with an index finger (known as a barre) while using other fingers to strum the higher strings. Barre chords require practice but are an effective way of building strength in fingers while learning fretboard patterns, plus provide an ideal base upon which other shapes may be added up the neck.
The Am7b5 chord, commonly abbreviated as A minor seventh flat five, is an unusual and intriguing barre chord with its root note on the 5th string, commonly found in jazz, funk and R&B music to add tension or edge to songs. Another variation known as Abm7b5, commonly used by jazz and funk musicians to add depth and tension is Abm7b5 – commonly found in songs by The Beatles such as Michelle or Herbie Hancock such as Maiden Voyage where you might spot this unique and intriguing chord!
This chord can be played using either your first or second fingers. It can either be played as a standard barre chord, or muted and used as an open chord – simply press down on your ring finger with pinky to mute it! Doing this will prevent the high E string and A string from sounding, making jazz style comping situations more comfortable to perform.
The Am7b5 chord can be constructed on any interval from its root to flat 7th, from 1-b3-b5-b7 up to three forms: 2-b5-b7-b3, or three forms arranged as 3-b5-b7-b7. While 2-b5-b7-b3 and 3-b5-b7 are the most frequently seen versions, each shape offers unique tones when strumming; experiment until you find what works for you; practice them until you can strum without stopping or mushing notes before moving onto variations that allow you to explore its entire spectrum of sounds!
Open Chord
This chord is also known as A minor seventh flat five or A half-diminished (also written as Ao). It can be thought of as an am7 with its fifth note lowered, producing dissonant notes when played alone; however, when combined with other chords it can sound beautiful and harmonic.
To create this chord, place your index finger at the 5th fret of the guitar’s top string (barre). Your middle finger should then move down one string until its 8th fret before placing its 6th fret into third string ring finger stomps all strings downward with one downward motion.
Another effective method for practicing this chord is to employ it as an arpeggio. Start off playing its root note before moving through all four notes that make up its shape: A, C, Eb and G. This exercise will help you memorize its shape while increasing dexterity.
To take it one step further, try playing the Am7b5 chord using different barre shapes. This will provide a unique sound while opening up more options when performing this chord in songs.
There are various ways to finger a chord, but the easiest is using your thumb and index finger. Ring and pinky fingers may also add additional tension. Downstrokes work best when strumming this chord.
This chord is easy to learn and has an incredible sound, perfect for many genres and will add variety to your guitar chord vocabulary. Although beginners might find this chord a challenge at first, learning it will expand your chord vocabulary while expanding fretboard knowledge – you may find this chord used in rock or blues songs and can even be combined with Dm7 or C6 chords for an impressive progression!
Arpeggio
Arpeggios can be invaluable tools when improvising over chord changes or sequences, and knowing how to play arpeggios can be especially helpful for improvists who love improvising over them. One such arpeggio that works well across various chord types – major and minor seventh chords alike – is the minor 7 flat 5 arpeggio.
The minor 7 flat 5, also known as an A half-diminished chord, consists of four note chord containing A, C, Eb and G and can be found across various genres of music including jazz, funk and neo-soul. This chord features a haunting sound which adds melancholy to progressions.
To play a minor 7 flat 5 chord, it requires using your fingers to fret the chord shape on each string. To help make things simpler for you, we have created an interactive chord chart below that displays all of the notes included in this chord; including its root note as well as any inversions or shapes you can use when playing it on various strings.
As you begin learning the minor 7 flat 5 chord, it is vital that you practice it as an arpeggio to ensure you memorize its shape and increase dexterity. In addition, practice switching between this chord and related ones like Dm7 and C6 so you can seamlessly transition from one to another.
Last but not least, it’s helpful to remember that the minor 7 flat 5 arpeggio can also be played over a dominant 7 chord, creating a very distinctive and unique sound and making for easier melody creation and riff composition.
The minor 7 flat 5 chord progression makes an excellent addition to any chord progression and can be used in a variety of musical genres and styles. If you’re seeking something with more of an “exotic” sound or want to add melancholy and tension into their music, check out our comprehensive guide on playing it on guitar.
Transitions
The Am7b5 (or A half diminished) chord consists of the 1st, flat 3rd, and flat 5th notes of A major scale, making it an effective replacement for min7b5 chords in terms of use.
Played alone, dissonance can sound discordant; when combined with other chords it becomes quite melodic and soothing. Often used to create smooth transitions between cadences – try playing an A minor cadence (Bm7b5-E7-Am7) followed by a C major cadence (Dm7-G7-Cmaj7) to hear how their voicings combine beautifully together.
When playing melodic lines, this chord can also provide you with the perfect platform to do so with its diminished sound – giving a jazzy edge to your lines!