half-diminished seventh chord
B, D, F and A
- Root
- B
- Minor third
- D
- Diminished fifth
- F
- Minor seventh
- A
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 (3, 6, 10 half steps above B)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | B | D | F | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Bm7♭5 inversions
Bm7♭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.
Bm7♭5
Root position
| Notes | B | D | F | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Bm7♭5/D
First inversion
| Notes | D | F | A | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Bm7♭5/F
Second inversion
| Notes | F | A | B | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Bm7♭5/A
Third inversion
| Notes | A | B | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with Bm7♭5
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. Bm7♭5 appears as:
- viiø7 in C major
- iiø7 in A minor
How Bm7♭5 is built
B is the root, D the minor third, F the diminished fifth and A 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 Bm7♭5 are B, D, F, A. That is why it is spelled B, D, F and A.
Find Bm7♭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 Bm7♭5, in any octave and any order.
Practice Bm7♭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 Bm7♭5 chord?
Bm7♭5 has four notes: B, D, F and A. B is the root, D the minor third, F the diminished fifth and A the minor seventh.
What fingers do you use for Bm7♭5 on piano?
In root position, play B, D, F and A 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 Bm7♭5?
Bm7♭5 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Bm7♭5/D): D, F, A and B. Second inversion (Bm7♭5/F): F, A, B and D. Third inversion (Bm7♭5/A): A, B, D and F.
What key is Bm7♭5 in?
Bm7♭5 appears as viiø7 in C major and iiø7 in A minor.