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G minor 7th flat 5th chord on bass (Gm7♭5)
Also called or written Gm7♭5, G or G Half Diminished Minor 7
G minor 7th flat 5th contains G, B♭, D♭ and F. The 3rd-fret shape requires a wide stretch between the index and pinky fingers.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7
- Root positionG–B♭–D♭–FGm7♭53-4-3-3
- First inversionB♭–D♭–F–GGm7♭5/B♭no shape on this instrument
- Second inversionD♭–F–G–B♭Gm7♭5/D♭9-10-8-10
- Third inversionF–G–B♭–D♭Gm7♭5/F13-13-11-12
How do you play a G minor 7th flat 5th chord on bass?
G minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 4 3 3: index finger on the E string at fret 3, pinky finger on the A string at fret 4, middle finger on the D string at fret 3 and ring finger on the G string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 3 | 1 | G (1) |
| 3 (A) | 4 | 4 | D♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (D) | 3 | 2 | F (♭7) |
| 1 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe wide stretch between the index finger on the 4th string and the pinky on the 3rd string at the 3rd fret is the hardest part.
Gm7♭5/D♭ inversion
G minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 8th fret as 9 10 8 10: middle finger on the E string at fret 9, ring finger on the A string at fret 10, index finger on the D string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 9 | 2 | D♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (A) | 10 | 3 | G (1) |
| 2 (D) | 8 | 1 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (G) | 10 | 4 | F (♭7) |
Gm7♭5/F inversion
G minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 11th fret as 13 13 11 12: ring finger on the E string at fret 13, pinky finger on the A string at fret 13, index finger on the D string at fret 11 and middle finger on the G string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 13 | 3 | F (♭7) |
| 3 (A) | 13 | 4 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (D) | 11 | 1 | D♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (G) | 12 | 2 | G (1) |
Why it sounds like that
G minor 7th flat 5th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between G and D♭ creates the chord's characteristic tension. Raising the ♭5 to a perfect 5th produces G minor 7th, the closest stable contrast.
What goes wrong with G 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 G.
When to use it
G minor 7th flat 5th functions as the ii chord in F natural minor and the vii chord in A♭ major. Use it in minor-key jazz and blues lines where the half-diminished colour leads to a dominant. It pairs naturally with G minor and G 5th.
Changing to and from G minor 7th flat 5th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 2nd fret gives F♯ minor 7th flat 5th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 4th fret gives A♭ minor 7th flat 5th.
Which voicing to use
The 3rd-fret root position keeps G in the bass for a grounded sound. The Gm7♭5/D♭ inversion at the 9th fret places the diminished 5th in the bass, creating a darker, less stable feel. Choose the Gm7♭5/F inversion when the bass line needs to descend to F.
Other G chords
Common questions
How is G minor 7th flat 5th written?
G minor 7th flat 5th is written as Gm7♭5, and it is also called Half Diminished Minor 7.
What is the difference between G minor 7th flat 5th and G diminished?
G minor 7th flat 5th adds a minor 7th to the diminished triad. G diminished has only the root, ♭3 and ♭5.
Why does G minor 7th flat 5th sound unstable?
The tritone between G and D♭ creates tension that wants to resolve. This instability makes the chord useful as a passing harmony.