half-diminished seventh chord
A♯, C♯, E and G♯
- Root
- A♯
- Minor third
- C♯
- Diminished fifth
- E
- Minor seventh
- G♯
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 (3, 6, 10 half steps above A♯)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | A♯ | C♯ | E | G♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
A♯m7♭5 inversions
A♯m7♭5 has 3 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
A♯m7♭5
Root position
| Notes | A♯ | C♯ | E | G♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
A♯m7♭5/C♯
First inversion
| Notes | C♯ | E | G♯ | A♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
A♯m7♭5/E
Second inversion
| Notes | E | G♯ | A♯ | C♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
A♯m7♭5/G♯
Third inversion
| Notes | G♯ | A♯ | C♯ | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with A♯m7♭5
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. A♯m7♭5 appears as:
- viiø7 in B major
- iiø7 in G♯ minor
How A♯m7♭5 is built
A♯ is the root, C♯ the minor third, E the diminished fifth and G♯ the minor seventh.
A half-diminished seventh, written m7♭5 or ø7, is a diminished chord plus the minor seventh, 10 half steps above the root. It is the chord on the seventh note of a major key and on the second note of a minor key.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of A♯m7♭5 are A, C, E, G. That is why it is spelled A♯, C♯, E and G♯.
Find A♯m7♭5 yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 4
Tap the notes of A♯m7♭5, in any octave and any order.
Practice A♯m7♭5 in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the A♯m7♭5 chord?
A♯m7♭5 has four notes: A♯, C♯, E and G♯. A♯ is the root, C♯ the minor third, E the diminished fifth and G♯ the minor seventh.
What fingers do you use for A♯m7♭5 on piano?
In root position, play A♯, C♯, E and G♯ with right hand fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 (thumb, index finger, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3, 2 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of A♯m7♭5?
A♯m7♭5 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (A♯m7♭5/C♯): C♯, E, G♯ and A♯. Second inversion (A♯m7♭5/E): E, G♯, A♯ and C♯. Third inversion (A♯m7♭5/G♯): G♯, A♯, C♯ and E.
What key is A♯m7♭5 in?
A♯m7♭5 appears as viiø7 in B major and iiø7 in G♯ minor.