F♯m7♭5
F# Half-Diminished — the half-diminished — a minor seventh with a flattened fifth, the classic ii chord in minor keys.
The keys
F♯ – A – C – E
What's inside F♯m7♭5
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| F♯ | Root | 1 |
| A | Minor 3rd | b3 |
| C | Diminished 5th | b5 |
| E | Minor 7th | b7 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | G♭4 – A4 – C5 – E5 |
| 1st inversion | A4 – C5 – E5 – G♭5 |
| 2nd inversion | C5 – E5 – G♭5 – A5 |
| 3rd inversion | E5 – G♭5 – A5 – C6 |
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) | G♭2 – E3 |
| Right (colour) | A4 – C5 |
Where F♯m7♭5 lives
As the ii chord
F♯m7♭5 → B7 → Emaj7
Minor-family sevenths live on the ii — this is the move they were born for.
Stepwise colour
G♭ → F♯m7♭5 → A♭m7
Used as a passing colour between neighbouring chords.
Put F♯m7♭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 →