Dm7♭5
Dm7♭5 is the d half-diminished chord, spelled D – F – A♭ – C. the half-diminished — a minor seventh with a flattened fifth, the classic ii chord in minor keys.
The keys
D – F – A♭ – C
Practise this chord
Plug in your MIDI keyboard and let Coach Tshepho drill you on Dm7♭5 — it plays the chord, names any wrong notes as you play, and moves you on when you nail it.
Create your free account →What's inside Dm7♭5
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| D | Root | 1 |
| F | Minor 3rd | b3 |
| A♭ | Diminished 5th | b5 |
| C | Minor 7th | b7 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | D4 – F4 – A♭4 – C5 |
| 1st inversion | F4 – A♭4 – C5 – D5 |
| 2nd inversion | A♭4 – C5 – D5 – F5 |
| 3rd inversion | C5 – D5 – F5 – A♭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) | D2 – C3 |
| Right (colour) | F4 – A♭4 |
Where Dm7♭5 lives
As the ii chord
Dm7♭5 → G7 → Cmaj7
Minor-family sevenths live on the ii — this is the move they were born for.
Stepwise colour
D → Dm7♭5 → Em7
Used as a passing colour between neighbouring chords.
Put Dm7♭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 →More D chords
D
Dm
Ddim
Daug
Dsus2
Dsus4
D6
Dm6
D7
Dmaj7
Dm7
Ddim7
Dm(maj7)
D9
Dmaj9
Dm9
Dadd9
D6/9
Dm11
D13
D7♭9
D7♯9
D7♯5Play it over a groove
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