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Bm7♭5 chord

Bm7♭5 (B half-diminished) is B, D, F and A. It sounds dark and jazzy, the minor key’s ii chord in jazz.

Bm7♭5

B half-diminished · B D F A · 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7

BDFA

Or pick another chord to see and hear it

Root
Chord

Tap keys on the piano to find which chord they make. The editor opens without an account.

Notes in the Bm7♭5 chord

From B, count 3 half steps up to D, 3 more to F and 4 more to A. Its formula is 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7: each number is the note’s place in the B major scale, with ♭ a half step lower and ♯ a half step higher. On the piano it is all white keys.

The notes of Bm7♭5 and their intervals from B
NoteFormulaIntervalHalf steps up
B1Root0
D♭3Minor third3
F♭5Diminished fifth6
A♭7Minor seventh10

Bm7♭5 chord inversions

An inversion is the same chord with another of its notes at the bottom. It keeps the chord’s sound but moves your hand less between chords, which is why pianists use them all the time. The notes are listed lowest first.

Root position

B D F A

Written Bm7♭5, with the root at the bottom.

1st inversion

D F A B

Written Bm7♭5/D: D at the bottom.

2nd inversion

F A B D

Written Bm7♭5/F: F at the bottom.

3rd inversion

A B D F

Written Bm7♭5/A: A at the bottom.

Keys with the Bm7♭5 chord

Bm7♭5 is built from the notes of these keys, so it fits songs in them. The Roman numeral says which note of the key it starts on. Each key’s page has its scale and all its chords.

Major keys
Minor keys

Chords that often come after Bm7♭5

E7E G♯ B DBm7♭5 to E7 is iiø7 to V7, the minor key’s ii–V.CC E GBm7♭5 is the viiø7 of C: up a half step to home.

More piano chords

Other chords on B

BBmB7Bmaj7Bm7Bsus2Bsus4Badd9B9B6BdimBdim7Baug

Half-diminished chords on other notes

Cm7♭5C♯m7♭5Dm7♭5D♯m7♭5Em7♭5Fm7♭5F♯m7♭5Gm7♭5G♯m7♭5Am7♭5A♯m7♭5

Or see every chord at once on the piano chords chart.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Bm7♭5 chord?

Bm7♭5 is B, D, F and A. On the piano that is all white keys.

How do you play Bm7♭5 on the piano?

With your right hand, play B, D, F and A with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 (thumb to little finger). With your left hand it is 5, 3, 2 and 1. From B, count 3 half steps up to D, 3 more to F and 4 more to A.

What are the inversions of Bm7♭5?

Root position: B D F A. 1st inversion: D F A B (Bm7♭5/D). 2nd inversion: F A B D (Bm7♭5/F). 3rd inversion: A B D F (Bm7♭5/A). The notes are the same; only the lowest one changes.

What key is Bm7♭5 in?

In major keys, Bm7♭5 is the viiø7 chord in C major. In minor keys, it is the iiø7 chord in A minor.

Can I make a beat with Bm7♭5?

Yes. “Make a beat in C major” opens the free editor with a lo-fi beat in C major on C G Am F, the key where Bm7♭5 is the viiø7 chord. Then change any part, add a melody and your voice, part by part. No account is needed to start.

Make a beat in C major

Opens the free editor with a lo-fi beat in C major on C G Am F, the key where Bm7♭5 is the viiø7 chord. Then change any part, add a melody and your voice, part by part. No account needed to start.

Make a beat in C majorAll piano chords

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