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