How to play Em7b5: a half-diminished (m7b5) built on E, with 1 voicing, the notes, the keys it belongs to, and songs that use it.
The first diagram is a common voicing: an open-position shape using 4 open strings, played near the nut. 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: 0 1 0 0 x 0 (x = not played).
| Note | E | G | Bb | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | R | b3 | b5 | b7 |
Em7b5 is a half-diminished (m7b5) with E as its root. The full theoretical spelling is E, G, Bb, D. This voicing sounds every chord tone.
Em7b5 is a diatonic chord (built from the key's own notes) in 1 major key and 2 minor keys. The roman numeral is the chord's place in that key; tap a key for all of its chords.
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Em7b5 is spelled E, G, Bb, D: the root, minor 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: 0 1 0 0 x 0 (x means the string is not played). Fret the A string at the 1st fret. The low E, D, G and high E strings ring open. Strum from the low E string down, skipping the B string.
Em7b5 belongs to 3 keys: F major (the viiø chord), D minor (the iiø) and B minor (the ivø, from the harmonic minor).
