Piano chord
Am7♭5A half-diminished
- A1
- C♭3
- E♭♭5
- G♭7
- Notes
- 4
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 10semitones
- Fingers
- 1-2-3-5
How to play Am7♭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.
Am7♭5 inversions
Use these 4 positions to move between chords with as little hand movement as possible. Root position starts on A; the inversions start on the other notes of the chord.
- Root positionbass: ARight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 1st inversionbass: CRight 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: GRight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
Chords that go with Am7♭5
The other chords of B flat major, the key where Am7♭5 is home (viiø7). Songs in this key move between them.
Am7♭5 with two hands
A full sound: the left hand plays A an octave lower, the right hand plays A–C–E♭–G.
Am7♭5 on other instruments
About the Am7♭5 chord
To build A half-diminished, take these 4 notes from the root up: 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 Am7♭5, so it works in either hand.
In the inversions of Am7♭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♭).
Compared with Adim, Am7♭5 has one more note, G.
You meet Am7♭5 in these keys: B flat major (viiø7), G minor (iiø7).
Questions
What notes are in the Am7♭5 chord?
Am7♭5 (A half-diminished) has 4 notes: A (1), C (♭3), E♭ (♭5), G (♭7).
How many inversions does Am7♭5 have?
Am7♭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 Am7♭5 and Adim?
Compared with Adim, Am7♭5 has one more note, G.
Can I play Am7♭5 with one hand?
Yes. In root position Am7♭5 spans 10 semitones, less than an octave, so one hand holds it easily.