Fm7b5 is Fm7 with one note lowered: the fifth, C, drops a half step to Cb, the same pitch as B. That single change makes the chord unstable, and it almost always leads somewhere: to Bb7, then to Eb minor. Learn one shape near the nut, one movable shape, and the cadence that goes with them.
Fm7b5 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: F half-diminished (minor seventh flat five)
- Symbol: Fm7b5
- Notes: F, Ab, Cb, Eb
- Where it belongs: viim7b5 in Gb major, iim7b5 in Eb minor
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fm7b5, open B string | 1x110x | F Eb Ab Cb | Three fingers at fret 1 and the open B string, which plays Cb. Fifth and first strings muted. |
| Fm7b5, top four strings | xx3444 | F Cb Eb Ab | Root on the fourth string, one finger per string. Compact and easy to move. |
| Fm7b5, fifth string root | x8989x | F Cb Eb Ab | The jazz shape: root on the fifth string at fret 8, low and high E muted. |
| Fm7b5, sixth string root | 13 x 13 13 12 x | F Eb Ab Cb | Root on the low E at fret 13, fifth string muted. Same four notes, from the bass up. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
Fm7b5 on the neck: every F, Ab, B, Eb
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Fm7b5: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Fm7b5.
Why the chart says Cb, and why you play a B
The fifth of F is C. Lower it by a half step and you get a diminished fifth, which is written Cb so that the chord keeps one note per letter: F, A, C, E with flats. On the guitar, Cb and B are the same fret. That is why the open B string fits in the first shape on this page.
| Chord | Shape | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fm7 | 1x111x | F, Eb, Ab, C |
| Fm7b5 | 1x110x | F, Eb, Ab, Cb |
Only the B string changes: fret 1 (C) becomes open (Cb). Go back and forth between the two and listen: the first sits still, the second leans forward.
1x110x, the fifth string must stay silent: open it would
add A, which does not belong. Let the first finger's tip lean on it. The
high E is easier to leave out than to mute: strum from the low E to the B
string only, or pluck the four notes with the fingers.
The movable shapes
Top four strings: xx3444
First finger on the fourth string at fret 3 (F), then second, third and fourth fingers on the third, second and first strings at fret 4: Cb, Eb, Ab. Leave the two bass strings out.
Fifth string root: x8989x
First finger on the fifth string at fret 8 (F), third finger on the fourth string at fret 9 (Cb), second finger on the third string at fret 8 (Eb), fourth finger on the second string at fret 9 (Ab). The same fingering works for every m7b5 with a fifth string root.
Sixth string root: 13 x 13 13 12 x
Root on the low E at fret 13, fifth string muted, then Eb, Ab and Cb on the next three strings. Use it when you want the root deep in the bass.
Why Fm7b5 is there: the minor ii V i in Eb minor
In Eb minor, the chord on the second degree is Fm7b5. It goes to Bb7, the V7, which goes home to Ebm. When you meet Fm7b5 in a chart, look at the next two chords: that is usually what follows.
| Where | Fm7b5 | Bb7 | Ebm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near the nut | 1x110x | x13131 | x68876 |
| Around fret 6 to 9 | x8989x | 6x676x | x68876 |
The second row keeps the hand in one area, which is why jazz players prefer it. Four beats per chord, slowly, and let the last one ring. How keys build their chords is laid out on the chords in every key page.
Fm7b5 next to its neighbors
- Fm7: F, Ab, C, Eb. Perfect fifth. Calm, minor.
- Fm7b5: F, Ab, Cb, Eb. Lowered fifth. Restless.
- Fdim7: F, Ab, Cb, Ebb. The seventh drops too, to Ebb (the pitch of D). More tense, and it repeats every three frets.
The same shapes, moved, give every other half diminished chord: Em7b5 one fret down, Gm7b5 two frets up.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Fm7b5 on guitar?
What notes are in Fm7b5?
Is Fm7b5 the same as F half diminished?
Why does an open B string work in an F chord?
Where does Fm7b5 resolve?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.