D-flat half-diminished seventh

Dbm7b5 Piano Voicings

Dbm7b5, 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 Dbm7b5 in all 12 keys

The notes in Dbm7b5

  • Db R
  • Fb ♭3
  • G ♭5
  • Cb ♭7

Dbm7b5 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

Db · Fb · G · Cb R · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7

Shell Voicing

Db · Fb · Cb R · ♭3 · ♭7

Rootless A

Fb · G · Cb · Eb ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7 · 9

Rootless B

Cb · Eb · Fb · G ♭7 · 9 · ♭3 · ♭5

Where Dbm7b5 fits in a ii-V-I

Dbm7b5, 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 Dbm7b5 is to drill it in context across all 12 keys until the shape is automatic.

Practice the full ii-V-I progression

Dbm7b5 — frequently asked questions

What notes are in Dbm7b5?

Dbm7b5 contains Db, Fb, G, Cb — root, minor third, diminished (flat) fifth and flat seventh.

What is Dbm7b5 used for?

Dbm7b5 most often appears as the ii chord in a minor ii-V-i, setting up the dominant that resolves to a minor tonic.