Em7♭5
E Half-Diminished — the half-diminished — a minor seventh with a flattened fifth, the classic ii chord in minor keys.
The keys
E – G – B♭ – D
What's inside Em7♭5
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| E | Root | 1 |
| G | Minor 3rd | b3 |
| B♭ | Diminished 5th | b5 |
| D | Minor 7th | b7 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | E4 – G4 – B♭4 – D5 |
| 1st inversion | G4 – B♭4 – D5 – E5 |
| 2nd inversion | B♭4 – D5 – E5 – G5 |
| 3rd inversion | D5 – E5 – G5 – B♭5 |
A working voicing
Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:
| Hand | Keys |
|---|---|
| Left (shell) | E2 – D3 |
| Right (colour) | G4 – B♭4 |
Where Em7♭5 lives
As the ii chord
Em7♭5 → A7 → Dmaj7
Minor-family sevenths live on the ii — this is the move they were born for.
Stepwise colour
E → Em7♭5 → G♭m7
Used as a passing colour between neighbouring chords.
Put Em7♭5 under your fingers
Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.
Open the Chord & Voicing Lab →