Am7b5 chord on guitar
A Half-Diminished. Notes: A, C, Eb and G.
How to play Am7b5
- Put your middle finger on the 4th (D) string at fret 1 (Eb).
- Put your ring finger on the 2nd (B) string at fret 1 (C).
- Let the open A and G strings ring.
- Don't play the low E and high E strings: skip them or mute them with a fretting finger.
- Strum from the A string down.
All 4 ways to play Am7b5
Easiest first. Tap play to hear each one.Open position
EasyFret 4 position
MediumBarre at fret 8
HardBarre at fret 5
HardNotes and theory
The half-diminished chord (minor seventh flat five) is the ii chord of a minor key and a key part of minor ii-V-i progressions in jazz. The formula is 1 b3 b5 b7, and you will also see it written as Aø and Am7(b5).
Keys that use Am7b5
More A chords
All A guitar chordshalf-diminished chords in every key
Questions
What notes are in the Am7b5 chord?
Am7b5 (A half-diminished) is made of four notes: A (root), C (minor third), Eb (diminished fifth) and G (minor seventh).
How do you play Am7b5 on guitar?
The easiest Am7b5 is the "open position" shape. Put your middle finger on the 4th (D) string at fret 1 (Eb). Put your ring finger on the 2nd (B) string at fret 1 (C). Let the open A and G strings ring.
Is Am7b5 hard to play on guitar?
No. The easiest version is rated easy and uses 2 fretted notes plus open strings.
What key is Am7b5 in?
Am7b5 belongs to 2 keys: B flat major (as the vii°ø7 chord) and G minor (as the ii°ø7 chord).
What does a half-diminished chord sound like?
The half-diminished chord (minor seventh flat five) is the ii chord of a minor key and a key part of minor ii-V-i progressions in jazz.