Cm7♭5
C Half-Diminished — the half-diminished — a minor seventh with a flattened fifth, the classic ii chord in minor keys.
The keys
C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭
What's inside Cm7♭5
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| C | Root | 1 |
| E♭ | Minor 3rd | b3 |
| G♭ | Diminished 5th | b5 |
| B♭ | Minor 7th | b7 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | C4 – E♭4 – G♭4 – B♭4 |
| 1st inversion | E♭4 – G♭4 – B♭4 – C5 |
| 2nd inversion | G♭4 – B♭4 – C5 – E♭5 |
| 3rd inversion | B♭4 – C5 – E♭5 – G♭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) | C2 – B♭2 |
| Right (colour) | E♭4 – G♭4 |
Where Cm7♭5 lives
As the ii chord
Cm7♭5 → F7 → B♭maj7
Minor-family sevenths live on the ii — this is the move they were born for.
Stepwise colour
C → Cm7♭5 → Dm7
Used as a passing colour between neighbouring chords.
Put Cm7♭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 →