D half-diminished chord (Dm7♭5)

D half-diminished is a 4-note half-diminished chord: D – F – A♭ – C. It sounds tense but soft, with a dark color. Here it is on guitar, piano and ukulele, with fingering and audio.

NotesD – F – A♭ – C
Formula1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭7
SymbolDm7♭5 · Dø · Dm7b5
TypeHalf-diminished chord

D half-diminished on guitar

Fret 5 (A shape)
Fret 10 (E shape)

How to place your fingers (fret 5)

Finger 1 (index) on fret 5 of string 5 (A).
Finger 3 (ring) on fret 6 of the 4th string (D).
Finger 2 (middle) on fret 5 of the 3rd string (G).
Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 6 of the 2nd string (B).
Do not play the 6th and 1st strings: strum from the 5th string.

The numbers inside the dots are the fingers of your left hand: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring and 4 pinky. The colored dots mark the root (D). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

D half-diminished on piano

In root position, play D – F – A♭ – C from bottom to top with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 of your right hand. With your left hand you usually play just the root (D) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

First inversion: F – A♭ – C – D
Second inversion: A♭ – C – D – F
Third inversion: C – D – F – A♭

D half-diminished on ukulele

From fret 1
From fret 4

Standard tuning G – C – E – A (the G string is the high one). Is your ukulele in tune? Use the ukulele tuner.

Notes and intervals of D half-diminished

D1 · root
F♭3 · minor third
A♭♭5 · diminished fifth
C♭7 · minor seventh

It's the second degree in minor keys (iiø–V7–i), very common in boleros, tango and jazz.

Progressions with Dm7♭5

ii–V–i in minor: iiø7 – V7 – i

The minor cadence of boleros, tangos and jazz, in C natural minor.

Which keys contain D half-diminished?

Dm7♭5 belongs to 2 keys: in each one it plays a different role depending on the degree (the Roman numeral).

Key	Degree
E♭ major	viiø7
C natural minor	iiø7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D half-diminished chord?

D half-diminished (Dm7♭5) has 4 notes: D (root), F (minor third), A♭ (diminished fifth), C (minor seventh).

How do you play D half-diminished on guitar?

The most common shape is at fret 5: x 5 6 5 6 x (from the 6th to the 1st string). Place finger 1 (index) at fret 5 on the 5th string (A). Place finger 3 (ring) at fret 6 on the 4th string (D). Place finger 2 (middle) at fret 5 on the 3rd string (G). Place finger 4 (pinky) at fret 6 on the 2nd string (B). Do not play the 6th or 1st strings: strum from the 5th.

How do you write D half-diminished in chord notation?

It is written Dm7♭5; you may also see Dø or Dm7b5. In letter notation, notes use letters: C = do, D = re, E = mi, F = fa, G = sol, A = la, and B = ti.

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