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F 7th flat 5 chord on guitar (F7♭5)
Also called or written F7♭5, F, F Dominant 7th Flat 5 or F 7th ♭5
F 7th flat 5 contains F, A, C♭, and E♭. This advanced open voicing uses all six strings with no mutes.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♭5, ♭7
- Root positionF–A–C♭–E♭F7♭51-0-1-2-0-1
- First inversionA–C♭–E♭–FF7♭5/A×-0-1-2-0-1
- Second inversionC♭–E♭–F–AF7♭5/C♭×-2-1-2-0-1
- Third inversionE♭–F–A–C♭F7♭5/E♭×-×-1-2-0-1
How do you play an F 7th flat 5 chord on guitar?
F 7th flat 5 is played in open position as 1 0 1 2 0 1: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 1, pinky finger on the G string at fret 2 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 1. The A and B strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (3) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 2 | E♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 4 | A (3) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | C♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 3 | F (1) |
AdvancedThe hardest part is fretting the low E and high e strings with different fingers while keeping the open A and B strings ringing clearly.
Open · C♭ on top
F 7th flat 5 is played in open position as 1 2 1 2 0 ×: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, ring finger on the A string at fret 2, middle finger on the D string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 2. The B string rings open. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 3 | C♭ (♭5) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 2 | E♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 4 | A (3) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | C♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
3rd fret
F 7th flat 5 is played at the 3rd fret as × × 3 4 4 5: index finger on the D string at fret 3, middle finger on the G string at fret 4, ring finger on the B string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 5. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 1 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 2 | C♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 3 | E♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 4 | A (3) |
8th fret
F 7th flat 5 is played at the 8th fret as × 8 9 8 10 ×: index finger on the A string at fret 8, ring finger on the D string at fret 9, middle finger on the G string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 10. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 | F (1) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 3 | C♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 2 | E♭ (♭7) |
| 2 (B) | 10 | 4 | A (3) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
12th fret
F 7th flat 5 is played at the 12th fret as 13 12 13 14 12 ×: barre your index finger across fret 12, middle finger on the low E string at fret 13, ring finger on the D string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 14. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 2 | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | 12 | 1 (barre) | A (3) |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 3 | E♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 14 | 4 | A (3) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 1 (barre) | C♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
F 7th flat 5 is built from the formula 1, 3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between F and C♭ gives the chord its biting, unresolved quality. Compare it to F 7th, which has a perfect 5th.
What goes wrong with F 7th flat 5?
- Letting your pinky collapse and deaden the open B string next to the G string you are fretting.
- Not pressing the low E string firmly enough, causing it to buzz.
When to use it
F 7th flat 5 suits jazz, blues, and rock progressions that need an altered dominant. Pair it with F major or F 7th for contrast.
Changing to and from F 7th flat 5
- From F 7th flat 5, slide the shape down two frets to the 1st fret to reach E♭ 7th flat 5.
- Move to F 7th by lifting your pinky and placing your ring finger on the 3rd string, 2nd fret, while keeping the other fingers in place.
Which voicing to use
The open position keeps the bass on F at the 1st fret of the low E string, giving a full, resonant sound. The 3rd fret position moves the bass to the D string at the 3rd fret, producing a tighter voicing. The 12th fret position starts on the low E string at the 13th fret, adding more weight.
Other F chords
Common questions
How is F 7th flat 5 written?
F 7th flat 5 is written as F7♭5 or F.
Why does F 7th flat 5 use C♭ instead of B?
The ♭5 of F is C♭, which is enharmonically equivalent to B. Spelling it as C♭ keeps the interval structure clear: a diminished 5th above F.
What is the difference between F 7th flat 5 and F 7th?
F 7th flat 5 lowers the 5th from C to C♭, creating a diminished 5th interval. F 7th has a perfect 5th, making it sound more stable.
Can F 7th flat 5 be used in place of F 7th?
Yes, F 7th flat 5 can substitute for F 7th when you want a more altered, tense dominant sound. Its verified note order explains the sound without relying on outside harmony.