A-flat half-diminished seventh
Abm7b5 Piano Voicings
Abm7b5, the half-diminished chord, is the ii chord of a minor ii-V-i. Its lowered fifth gives the tense, unresolved colour that defines minor-key jazz.
Drill Abm7b5 in all 12 keysThe notes in Abm7b5
- Ab R
- Cb ♭3
- D ♭5
- Gb ♭7
Abm7b5 voicings on piano
Each voicing is the exact shape the trainer drills. Press play to hear it — as a block chord or rolled note by note.
Root Position
Ab · Cb · D · Gb R · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7
Shell Voicing
Ab · Cb · Gb R · ♭3 · ♭7
Rootless A
Cb · D · Gb · Bb ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7 · 9
Rootless B
Gb · Bb · Cb · D ♭7 · 9 · ♭3 · ♭5
Where Abm7b5 fits in a ii-V-I
Abm7b5, the half-diminished chord, is the ii chord of a minor ii-V-i. Its lowered fifth gives the tense, unresolved colour that defines minor-key jazz.
The fastest way to internalise Abm7b5 is to drill it in context across all 12 keys until the shape is automatic.
Practice the full ii-V-I progressionAbm7b5 — frequently asked questions
What notes are in Abm7b5?
Abm7b5 contains Ab, Cb, D, Gb — root, minor third, diminished (flat) fifth and flat seventh.
What is Abm7b5 used for?
Abm7b5 most often appears as the ii chord in a minor ii-V-i, setting up the dominant that resolves to a minor tonic.