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E minor 7th flat 5th chord on guitar (Em7♭5)
Also called or written Em7♭5, E or E Half Diminished Minor 7
E minor 7th flat 5th contains E, G, B♭, and D. The open grip uses all six strings with only one fretted note, making it the easiest shape in this set.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7
- Root positionE–G–B♭–DEm7♭50-1-0-0-3-0
- First inversionG–B♭–D–EEm7♭5/G3-1-0-0-3-0
- Second inversionB♭–D–E–GEm7♭5/B♭×-1-0-0-3-0
- Third inversionD–E–G–B♭Em7♭5/D×-5-5-3-5-3
How do you play an E minor 7th flat 5th chord on guitar?
E minor 7th flat 5th is played in open position as 0 1 0 0 3 0: index finger on the A string at fret 1 and middle finger on the B string at fret 3. The low E, D, G and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 2 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
AdvancedThe open grip requires the middle finger to fret the B string at the 3rd fret while the index holds the 1st fret on the A string, stretching the hand.
Open · 0-1-0-0-3-3
E minor 7th flat 5th is played in open position as 0 1 0 0 3 3: index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the B string at fret 3 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 3. The low E, D and G strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 2 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 3 | G (♭3) |
Open · 0-1-0-3-3-3
E minor 7th flat 5th is played in open position as 0 1 0 3 3 3: index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the B string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The low E and D strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | G (♭3) |
Open · 0-1-2-0-3-0
E minor 7th flat 5th is played in open position as 0 1 2 0 3 0: index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 2 and ring finger on the B string at fret 3. The low E, G and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 2 | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
Open · 0-1-2-0-3-3
E minor 7th flat 5th is played in open position as 0 1 2 0 3 3: index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 2, ring finger on the B string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The low E and G strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 2 | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | G (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
E minor 7th flat 5th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7. The ♭5 is the interval that gives it its tense, diminished colour. Compare it with E minor 7th, which raises the fifth by a semitone.
What goes wrong with E minor 7th flat 5th?
- The middle finger on the B string can flatten and mute the high e string.
- The index finger on the A string can drift and touch the low E string.
- Letting the B string ring open instead of fretting the 3rd fret loses the ♭5.
When to use it
E minor 7th flat 5th functions as the ii chord in D natural minor, leading to A7 and then D minor. It suits jazz minor-key turnarounds and brooding folk passages. Use it before E minor for a chromatic descent.
Changing to and from E minor 7th flat 5th
- Move to <a href="/guitar/e-minor-7-chord">E minor 7th</a> by lifting the middle finger off the B string and leaving it open.
Which voicing to use
The open position is the only voicing supplied and keeps the root on the open low E string. Its low register makes it ideal for strumming full chords.
Other E chords
Common questions
How is E minor 7th flat 5th written?
E minor 7th flat 5th is written E, Em7♭5, or Half Diminished Minor 7.
What is the difference between E minor 7th flat 5th and E diminished?
E diminished has only three notes: E, G, and B♭. E minor 7th flat 5th adds the D, making it a four-note chord.
Which scale works over E minor 7th flat 5th?
E locrian is the natural choice because it contains the ♭5 and ♭7. E blues minor also fits when you want a rawer sound.