Minor ii–V–i
in G minor
Piano chord
A Half-Diminished 7th Piano Chord (Am7♭5)
The A Half-Diminished 7th chord on piano is made of the notes A, C, E♭ and G. Bittersweet tension. Used as the ii chord in minor keys.
Tap any key to hear it.
What notes are in A Half-Diminished 7th?
4 notes, built 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭7 up from A.
- Notes
- A – C – E♭ – G
- Formula
- 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭7
- Semitones from the root
- 0 – 3 – 6 – 10
- Symbol
- Am7♭5
- Chord type
- Half-Diminished 7th, 4 notes
How to play A Half-Diminished 7th on piano
- Right hand: A (1), C (2), E♭ (3), G (5). Fingers 1 – 2 – 3 – 5, thumb on A.
- Left hand: A (5), C (3), E♭ (2), G (1). Fingers 5 – 3 – 2 – 1, little finger on A.
Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) on both hands.
A Half-Diminished 7th inversions
Each inversion puts a different note of the chord in the bass. Written as a slash chord: Am7♭5/C, Am7♭5/E♭, Am7♭5/G.
Can you find A Half-Diminished 7th?
Tap the notes on the keyboard, then check. Six chords, starting with this one.
1 / 6 Tap the notes of A Half-Diminished 7th (Am7♭5)
Score 0
Any octave, any order. Each key you tap plays.
What key is A Half-Diminished 7th in?
The keys whose scale contains every note of Am7♭5, with the chord’s Roman numeral in each.
Major keys
- B♭ majorviiø7
Minor keys
- G minoriiø7
A Half-Diminished 7th chord FAQ
What notes are in the A Half-Diminished 7th chord?
A Half-Diminished 7th (Am7♭5) has 4 notes: A, C, E♭ and G. Its formula is 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭7, counted up from A.
How do you play A Half-Diminished 7th on the piano?
Put your right thumb on A and play A, C, E♭ and G with fingers 1 – 2 – 3 – 5. With the left hand, use fingers 5 – 3 – 2 – 1, little finger on A.
What are the inversions of A Half-Diminished 7th?
1st inversion: C, E♭, G, A (Am7♭5/C). 2nd inversion: E♭, G, A, C (Am7♭5/E♭). 3rd inversion: G, A, C, E♭ (Am7♭5/G).
What key is A Half-Diminished 7th in?
Am7♭5 belongs to B♭ major (viiø7) and G minor (iiø7).