half-diminished seventh chord
D, F, A♭ and C
- Root
- D
- Minor third
- F
- Diminished fifth
- A♭
- Minor seventh
- C
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 (3, 6, 10 half steps above D)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | D | F | A♭ | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Dm7♭5 inversions
Dm7♭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.
Dm7♭5
Root position
| Notes | D | F | A♭ | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Dm7♭5/F
First inversion
| Notes | F | A♭ | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Dm7♭5/A♭
Second inversion
| Notes | A♭ | C | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Dm7♭5/C
Third inversion
| Notes | C | D | F | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with Dm7♭5
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. Dm7♭5 appears as:
- viiø7 in E♭ major
- iiø7 in C minor
How Dm7♭5 is built
D is the root, F the minor third, A♭ the diminished fifth and C 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 Dm7♭5 are D, F, A, C. That is why it is spelled D, F, A♭ and C.
Find Dm7♭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 Dm7♭5, in any octave and any order.
Practice Dm7♭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 Dm7♭5 chord?
Dm7♭5 has four notes: D, F, A♭ and C. D is the root, F the minor third, A♭ the diminished fifth and C the minor seventh.
What fingers do you use for Dm7♭5 on piano?
In root position, play D, F, A♭ and C 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 Dm7♭5?
Dm7♭5 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Dm7♭5/F): F, A♭, C and D. Second inversion (Dm7♭5/A♭): A♭, C, D and F. Third inversion (Dm7♭5/C): C, D, F and A♭.
What key is Dm7♭5 in?
Dm7♭5 appears as viiø7 in E♭ major and iiø7 in C minor.