Explore chords · Bass
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th chord on bass (F♯m7♭5)
Also called or written F♯m7♭5, F♯ or F♯ Half Diminished Minor 7
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th contains F♯, A, C and E. The 2nd-fret shape spreads four fingers across two frets, demanding a wide left-hand stretch.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7
- Root positionF♯–A–C–EF♯m7♭52-3-2-2
- First inversionA–C–E–F♯F♯m7♭5/Ano shape on this instrument
- Second inversionC–E–F♯–AF♯m7♭5/C8-9-7-9
- Third inversionE–F♯–A–CF♯m7♭5/E12-12-10-11
How do you play an F♯ minor 7th flat 5th chord on bass?
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 3 2 2: index finger on the E string at fret 2, pinky finger on the A string at fret 3, middle finger on the D string at fret 2 and ring finger on the G string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 2 | 1 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 2 | 2 | E (♭7) |
| 1 (G) | 2 | 3 | A (♭3) |
AdvancedThe wide stretch between the index finger on the 4th string and the pinky on the 3rd string at the 2nd fret is the hardest part.
14th fret
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 14th fret as 14 15 14 14: index finger on the E string at fret 14, pinky finger on the A string at fret 15, middle finger on the D string at fret 14 and ring finger on the G string at fret 14.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 14 | 1 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 15 | 4 | C (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 14 | 2 | E (♭7) |
| 1 (G) | 14 | 3 | A (♭3) |
F♯m7♭5/C inversion
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 7th fret as 8 9 7 9: middle finger on the E string at fret 8, ring finger on the A string at fret 9, index finger on the D string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 8 | 2 | C (♭5) |
| 3 (A) | 9 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 7 | 1 | A (♭3) |
| 1 (G) | 9 | 4 | E (♭7) |
F♯m7♭5/E inversion
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 10th fret as 12 12 10 11: ring finger on the E string at fret 12, pinky finger on the A string at fret 12, index finger on the D string at fret 10 and middle finger on the G string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 12 | 3 | E (♭7) |
| 3 (A) | 12 | 4 | A (♭3) |
| 2 (D) | 10 | 1 | C (♭5) |
| 1 (G) | 11 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between F♯ and C gives the chord its tense, unresolved quality. Raising the ♭5 to a perfect 5th produces F♯ minor 7th, the closest stable contrast.
What goes wrong with F♯ minor 7th flat 5th?
- Letting the pinky collapse and mute the 2nd string.
- Fretting the 1st string with the ring finger too far from the fret, causing a buzz.
- Allowing the index finger to touch the 3rd string and deaden the F♯.
When to use it
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th functions as the ii chord in E natural minor and the vii chord in G major. Use it in minor-key jazz and blues lines where the half-diminished colour leads to a dominant. It pairs naturally with F♯ minor and F♯ 5th.
Changing to and from F♯ minor 7th flat 5th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 1st fret gives F minor 7th flat 5th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 3rd fret gives G minor 7th flat 5th.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd-fret root position keeps F♯ in the bass for a grounded sound. The F♯m7♭5/C inversion at the 8th fret places the diminished 5th in the bass, creating a darker, less stable feel. Choose the F♯m7♭5/E inversion when the bass line needs to descend to E.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ minor 7th flat 5th written?
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is written as F♯m7♭5, and it is also called Half Diminished Minor 7. The ASCII root spelling is F#. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ minor 7th flat 5th and F♯ diminished?
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th adds a minor 7th to the diminished triad. F♯ diminished has only the root, ♭3 and ♭5.
Why does F♯ minor 7th flat 5th sound unstable?
The tritone between F♯ and C creates tension that wants to resolve. This instability makes the chord useful as a passing harmony.