The Em7b5 chord contains E, G, B♭ and D. Written Em7♭5 or Eø7, it is E half-diminished seventh: a diminished triad plus a minor seventh. Compare four positions.
Build the Em7b5 chord from E–G–B♭ and add D. Its formula is 1–♭3–♭5–♭7. Starting with Em7, lower B to B♭ while retaining E, G and D. The diminished fifth is six semitones above E; the minor seventh is ten.
Preserve the written chord spelling shown here; keyboard equivalence does not rename the chord.
Choose a position to keep the four written notes, sounding keys, bass note, playback and print reference synchronized.
Build the Em7b5 chord with E, G, B♭ and D. B natural gives Em7 instead. Selecting C♯ in place of D sounds the diminished seventh D♭ above E. The exercise compares pitch classes, not a live performance or an inversion inferred from click order.
Em7♭5 uses 1–♭3–♭5–♭7: E–G–B♭–D.
a diminished triad plus a minor seventh
Compared with E diminished, add the minor seventh above the root.
A seventh chord has four chord tones and therefore four positions: root position plus three inversions. The slash symbol identifies the written bass note.
| Position | Symbol | Notes, low to high | Bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position, current selection | Em7♭5 | E4–G4–B♭4–D5 | E4 |
| First inversion | Em7♭5/G | G4–B♭4–D5–E5 | G4 |
| Second inversion | Em7♭5/B♭ | B♭4–D5–E5–G5 | B♭4 |
| Third inversion | Em7♭5/D | D5–E5–G5–B♭5 | D5 |
The Em7b5 chord diagrams identify written notes and octaves without assigned fingers. G starts the first inversion, B♭ the second and D the third. Keep B♭ in each position; changing which chord tone is lowest does not restore B natural.
Use the written notes, keyboard positions and playback without treating the diagram as a required hand shape.
Read left- and right-hand finger numbersOpen Music Theory
Supports: Half-Diminished Seventh chord construction, written spelling and inversion principles
Scope: Supports theory and spelling only; keyboard layouts are PianoGrid examples, and no fingering is assigned.
E, G, B♭ and D: root, minor third, diminished fifth and minor seventh. Only the fifth carries a flat sign in this written collection.
No. Both symbols name the Em7b5 chord. The slashed circle marks half-diminished quality; m7♭5 describes a minor seventh chord with its fifth lowered.
The Em7b5 chord uses D natural, a minor seventh. Edim7 uses D♭, a diminished seventh. Their root, minor third and diminished fifth remain the same.
G, B♭ and D begin the first, second and third inversions. The Em7b5 chord starts on E in root position. The selector synchronizes the written notes, bass, keyboard and reference sound.
Select the four pitch classes that make Em7♭5, then check your answer.
This one-octave exercise checks the exact four-note pitch-class set. Order and inversion do not affect the result; missing and extra notes are reported, while fingering and live performance are not assessed.
One octave, C through B. Select a key again to remove it.
Chord tones: E–G–B♭–D · Formula: 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7
Dots mark the notes to play. C4 is middle C. Numbers identify octaves, not fingers.