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A 7th flat 5 chord on ukulele (A7♭5)
Also called or written A7♭5, A, A Dominant 7th Flat 5 or A 7th ♭5
A 7th flat 5 is built from A, C♯, E♭, and G. The 2nd fret shape stacks three fingers in a row before the pinky reaches fret 4.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♭5, ♭7
How do you play an A 7th flat 5 chord on ukulele?
A 7th flat 5 is played at the 2nd fret as 2 3 3 4: index finger on the G string at fret 2, middle finger on the C string at fret 3, ring finger on the E string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 1 | A (1) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 2 | E♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 3 | G (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 4 | 4 | C♯ (3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach fret 4 cleanly while the ring finger holds fret 3 on the E string.
A7♭5/G inversion
A 7th flat 5 is played at the 5th fret as 6 7 5 6: middle finger on the G string at fret 6, pinky finger on the C string at fret 7, index finger on the E string at fret 5 and ring finger on the A string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 6 | 2 | C♯ (3) |
| 3 (C) | 7 | 4 | G (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 5 | 1 | A (1) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 3 | E♭ (♭5) |
8th fret
A 7th flat 5 is played at the 8th fret as 8 9 9 10: index finger on the G string at fret 8, middle finger on the C string at fret 9, ring finger on the E string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 1 | E♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 9 | 2 | A (1) |
| 2 (E) | 9 | 3 | C♯ (3) |
| 1 (A) | 10 | 4 | G (♭7) |
Why it sounds like that
A 7th flat 5 uses the formula 1, 3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between A and E♭ gives the chord its tense color. Compare it to A 7th, which raises that E♭ to E.
What goes wrong with A 7th flat 5?
- Letting the pinky flatten onto the A string, which buzzes the note.
- Pressing the ring finger too far across, deadening the C string.
- Strumming before the middle finger is fully seated on the C string.
When to use it
A 7th flat 5 works as a tense dominant in A major, especially moving to A major or A 5th. Its altered fifth suits jazz and funk lines where a plain A 7th sounds too settled.
Changing to and from A 7th flat 5
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 1st fret gives A♭ 7th flat 5.
- Sliding the shape up two frets to the 4th fret gives B 7th flat 5.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd fret position keeps A in the bass for a root-position sound. The A7♭5/C♯ inversion at the 6th fret puts the major third in the bass, while the A7♭5/E♭ inversion at the 8th fret emphasizes the ♭5.
Other A chords
Common questions
How is A 7th flat 5 written?
A 7th flat 5 is written as A7♭5 or A. The symbol A7♭5 is the most common.
What is the difference between A 7th flat 5 and A 7th?
A 7th flat 5 lowers the fifth from E to E♭, creating a diminished fifth. A 7th keeps the perfect fifth E.
Why does A 7th flat 5 sound unstable?
The diminished fifth between A and E♭ is a tritone, which wants to resolve. This tension makes the chord useful before a tonic.