Piano chord
A♭m7♭5A flat half-diminished
- A♭1
- C♭♭3
- E𝄫♭5
- G♭♭7
- Notes
- 4
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 10semitones
- Fingers
- 1-2-3-5
How to play A♭m7♭5 on piano
- Find A♭: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Right hand: 1 on A♭, 2 on C♭, 3 on E𝄫, 5 on G♭.
- Or with the left hand: 5 on A♭, 4 on C♭, 3 on E𝄫, 1 on G♭.
- Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
Root position · A♭ – C♭ – E𝄫 – G♭
1st inversion · C♭ – E𝄫 – G♭ – A♭
2nd inversion · E𝄫 – G♭ – A♭ – C♭
3rd inversion · G♭ – A♭ – C♭ – E𝄫
Numbers on the keys are fingers: 1 thumb, 2 index, 3 middle, 4 ring, 5 little finger.
A♭m7♭5 inversions
Here are all 4 positions of A♭m7♭5. The notes stay the same, only their order changes: root position has A♭ at the bottom, and every inversion starts on the next chord tone.
- Root positionbass: A♭Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 1st inversionbass: C♭Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
- 2nd inversionbass: E𝄫Right hand 1-3-4-5 · Left hand 5-3-2-1
- 3rd inversionbass: G♭Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
Chords that go with A♭m7♭5
The other chords of A major, the key where A♭m7♭5 is home (viiø7). Songs in this key move between them.
A♭m7♭5 with two hands
A full sound: the left hand plays A♭ an octave lower, the right hand plays A♭–C♭–E𝄫–G♭.
A♭m7♭5 on other instruments
About the A♭m7♭5 chord
The 4 notes of A flat half-diminished are A♭ (1), C♭ (♭3), E𝄫 (♭5), G♭ (♭7). A half-diminished chord: a diminished triad with the flat seventh. It is the ii chord in minor keys and leads to the dominant.
The keys are A♭ – C♭ – E𝄫 – G♭, counted up from A♭; the distance from the lowest to the highest key is 10 semitones. Any hand that reaches an octave can hold A♭m7♭5, so it works in either hand.
In the inversions of A♭m7♭5 the root moves up and another note takes the bass. In the 1st inversion the bass is C♭ (C♭–E𝄫–G♭–A♭). In the 2nd inversion the bass is E𝄫 (E𝄫–G♭–A♭–C♭). In the 3rd inversion the bass is G♭ (G♭–A♭–C♭–E𝄫).
Add G♭ to A♭dim and you have A♭m7♭5.
You meet A♭m7♭5 in these keys: A major (viiø7), F sharp minor (iiø7).
Questions
What notes are in the A♭m7♭5 chord?
A♭m7♭5 (A flat half-diminished) has 4 notes: A♭ (1), C♭ (♭3), E𝄫 (♭5), G♭ (♭7).
How many inversions does A♭m7♭5 have?
A♭m7♭5 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (A♭–C♭–E𝄫–G♭); 1st inversion (C♭–E𝄫–G♭–A♭); 2nd inversion (E𝄫–G♭–A♭–C♭); 3rd inversion (G♭–A♭–C♭–E𝄫).
What is the difference between A♭m7♭5 and A♭dim?
Add G♭ to A♭dim and you have A♭m7♭5.
Can I play A♭m7♭5 with one hand?
Yes. In root position A♭m7♭5 spans 10 semitones, less than an octave, so one hand holds it easily.