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C minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele (Cm7♭5)
Also called or written Cm7♭5, C or C Half Diminished Minor 7
C minor 7th flat 5th is built from C, E♭, G♭, and B♭. The 5th fret shape is a compact four-finger grip that suits quick changes.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7
How do you play a C minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele?
C minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 5th fret as 5 6 6 6: index finger on the G string at fret 5, middle finger on the C string at fret 6, ring finger on the E string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 1 | C (1) |
| 3 (C) | 6 | 2 | G♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 3 | B♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must fret the A string at fret 6 cleanly while the ring finger holds the E string at the same fret.
Cm7♭5/B♭ inversion
C minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 8th fret as 8 10 8 9: index finger on the G string at fret 8, pinky finger on the C string at fret 10, middle finger on the E string at fret 8 and ring finger on the A string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 1 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 4 | B♭ (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 2 | C (1) |
| 1 (A) | 9 | 3 | G♭ (♭5) |
Cm7♭5/E♭ inversion
C minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 2nd fret as 3 3 2 3: middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the C string at fret 3, index finger on the E string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 3 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 1 | G♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (1) |
Why it sounds like that
C minor 7th flat 5th uses the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between C and G♭ creates the half-diminished sound. Compare it to C minor 7th, which has a perfect 5th instead.
What goes wrong with C minor 7th flat 5th?
- Letting the pinky flatten and deaden the A string.
- Pressing the ring finger too far over and muting the C string.
- Strumming before all four fingers are seated, causing a buzz on the E string.
When to use it
C minor 7th flat 5th functions as the ii chord in B♭ natural minor, often moving to F minor or B♭ minor. Its dark quality suits jazz ballads and minor blues.
Changing to and from C minor 7th flat 5th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 4th fret gives B minor 7th flat 5th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 6th fret gives C♯ minor 7th flat 5th.
Which voicing to use
The 5th fret voicing has C in the bass, giving a root-position sound. For a softer attack, try the Cm7♭5/E♭ inversion with E♭ in the bass.
Other C chords
Common questions
How is C minor 7th flat 5th written?
C minor 7th flat 5th is written as Cm7♭5 or C. It is also called Half Diminished Minor 7.
What is the difference between C minor 7th flat 5th and C diminished?
C diminished is a triad with notes C, E♭, G♭. C minor 7th flat 5th adds the minor 7th B♭.
Can C minor 7th flat 5th be used in place of C minor?
C minor 7th flat 5th has a flattened fifth, so it sounds more tense than C minor. Use it when you want a darker color.