B half-diminished chord (Bm7♭5)

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

NotesB – D – F – A
Formula1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭7
SymbolBm7♭5 · Bø · Bm7b5
TypeHalf-diminished chord

B half-diminished on guitar

Fret 2 (A shape)
Fret 7 (E shape)

How to place your fingers (fret 2)

Finger 1 (index) on fret 2 of the 5th string (A).
Finger 3 (ring finger) on fret 3 of the 4th string (D).
Finger 2 (middle) on fret 2 of the 3rd string (G).
Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 3 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 (B). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

B half-diminished on piano

In root position, play B – D – F – A 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 (B) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

First inversion: D – F – A – B
Second inversion: F – A – B – D
Third inversion: A – B – D – F

B 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 B half-diminished

B1 · root
D♭3 · minor third
F♭5 · diminished fifth
A♭7 · minor seventh

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

Progressions with Bm7♭5

ii–V–i in minor: iiø7 – V7 – i

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

Which keys contain B half-diminished?

Bm7♭5 belongs to 2 keys: in each one it plays a different role depending on the degree (the Roman numeral).

Key	Degree
C major	viiø7
A natural minor	iiø7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B half-diminished chord?

B half-diminished (Bm7♭5) has 4 notes: B (root), D (minor third), F (diminished fifth), A (minor seventh).

How do you play B half-diminished on guitar?

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

How do you write B half-diminished as a chord symbol?

It is written Bm7♭5; you may also see Bø or Bm7b5. Letter notation uses C, D, E, F, G, A, and B for the notes.

Want to play whole songs?

A teacher shows you how to change chords smoothly, strum and play along to your favorite songs, in online lessons or at home in Bogotá.

Message us on WhatsApp See lessons