Guitar chord reference
Half-diminished 7 guitar chord: five CAGED shapes
Half-diminished seventh combines a diminished triad with a flattened 7th: 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7. It commonly functions as a predominant minor-key chord and as the tonic structure of Locrian.
Chord construction and function
The ♭5 creates instability while ♭7 distinguishes the chord from fully diminished seventh. Hearing that seventh accurately is the key comparison.
- Chord formula
- 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7
- Notes in Cm7♭5
- C · E♭ · G♭ · B♭
Cm7♭5 in CAGED neck order
Root notes are highlighted. Read each movable voicing as a set of chord tones, not simply as a copied open shape.
C shape
A shape
G shape
E shape
D shape
Practice drill
Alternate half-diminished and minor seventh on one root, lowering only the 5th. Then compare half-diminished with diminished seventh by changing only the 7th.
Open the chord randomiser