How to play B7b5: a dominant 7th flat 5 built on B, with 1 voicing, the notes, the keys it belongs to, and songs that use it.
The first diagram is a common voicing: played at the first few frets. An X above a string means don't play it; an O means play it open.
Frets from the low E string to the high E string: x 2 1 2 x 1 (x = not played).
| Note | B | D# | F | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | R | 3 | b5 | b7 |
B7b5 is a dominant 7th flat 5 with B as its root. The full theoretical spelling is B, D#, F, A. This voicing sounds every chord tone.
B7b5 is not a diatonic chord in any major or minor key: it turns up as a borrowed chord, a passing chord or an altered dominant, which is part of its color.
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B7b5 is spelled B, D#, F, A: the root, 3rd, flat 5th, flat 7th. The common guitar voicing sounds every one of them.
Frets from the low E string to the high E string: x 2 1 2 x 1 (x means the string is not played). Fret the D and high E strings at the 1st fret. Add the A and G strings at the 2nd fret. Strum from the A string down, skipping the B string; the low E string stays silent.
B7b5 is not a diatonic chord in any major or minor key: it turns up as a borrowed chord, a passing chord or an altered dominant, which is part of its color.
