G half-diminished chord (Gm7♭5)

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

NotesG – B♭ – D♭ – F
Formula1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭7
SymbolGm7♭5 · Gø · Gm7b5
TypeHalf-diminished chord

G half-diminished on guitar

Fret 3 (E shape)
Fret 10 (A shape)

How to place your fingers (fret 3)

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

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 (G). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

G half-diminished on piano

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

Inversions

First inversion: B♭ – D♭ – F – G
Second inversion: D♭ – F – G – B♭
Third inversion: F – G – B♭ – D♭

G half-diminished on ukulele

Open position
From fret 3

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 G half-diminished

G1 · root
B♭♭3 · minor third
D♭♭5 · diminished fifth
F♭7 · minor seventh

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

Progressions with Gm7♭5

ii–V–i in minor: iiø7 – V7 – i

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

Which keys contain G half-diminished?

Gm7♭5 belongs to 2 keys: in each one it plays a different role depending on the degree (the Roman numeral).

Key	Degree
A♭ major	viiø7
F natural minor	iiø7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the G half-diminished chord?

G half-diminished (Gm7♭5) has 4 notes: G (root), B♭ (minor third), D♭ (diminished fifth), F (minor seventh).

How do you play G half-diminished on guitar?

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

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

It is written Gm7♭5; you may also see Gø or Gm7b5. Letter notation uses C, D, E, F, G, A, and B for the notes.

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