half-diminished seventh chord
F♯, A, C and E
- Root
- F♯
- Minor third
- A
- Diminished fifth
- C
- Minor seventh
- E
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 (3, 6, 10 half steps above F♯)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | F♯ | A | C | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
F♯m7♭5 inversions
F♯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.
F♯m7♭5
Root position
| Notes | F♯ | A | C | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
F♯m7♭5/A
First inversion
| Notes | A | C | E | F♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
F♯m7♭5/C
Second inversion
| Notes | C | E | F♯ | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
F♯m7♭5/E
Third inversion
| Notes | E | F♯ | A | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with F♯m7♭5
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. F♯m7♭5 appears as:
- viiø7 in G major
- iiø7 in E minor
How F♯m7♭5 is built
F♯ is the root, A the minor third, C the diminished fifth and E 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 F♯m7♭5 are F, A, C, E. That is why it is spelled F♯, A, C and E.
Find F♯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 F♯m7♭5, in any octave and any order.
Practice F♯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 F♯m7♭5 chord?
F♯m7♭5 has four notes: F♯, A, C and E. F♯ is the root, A the minor third, C the diminished fifth and E the minor seventh.
What fingers do you use for F♯m7♭5 on piano?
In root position, play F♯, A, C and E 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 F♯m7♭5?
F♯m7♭5 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (F♯m7♭5/A): A, C, E and F♯. Second inversion (F♯m7♭5/C): C, E, F♯ and A. Third inversion (F♯m7♭5/E): E, F♯, A and C.
What key is F♯m7♭5 in?
F♯m7♭5 appears as viiø7 in G major and iiø7 in E minor.