G half-diminished seventh

Gm7b5 Piano Voicings

Gm7b5, 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 Gm7b5 in all 12 keys

The notes in Gm7b5

  • G R
  • Bb ♭3
  • Db ♭5
  • F ♭7

Gm7b5 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

G · Bb · Db · F R · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7

Shell Voicing

G · Bb · F R · ♭3 · ♭7

Rootless A

Bb · Db · F · A ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7 · 9

Rootless B

F · A · Bb · Db ♭7 · 9 · ♭3 · ♭5

Where Gm7b5 fits in a ii-V-I

Gm7b5, 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 Gm7b5 is to drill it in context across all 12 keys until the shape is automatic.

Practice the full ii-V-I progression

Gm7b5 — frequently asked questions

What notes are in Gm7b5?

Gm7b5 contains G, Bb, Db, F — root, minor third, diminished (flat) fifth and flat seventh.

What is Gm7b5 used for?

Gm7b5 most often appears as the ii chord in a minor ii-V-i, setting up the dominant that resolves to a minor tonic.