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C♯ minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele (C♯m7♭5)
Also called or written C♯m7♭5, C♯ or C♯ Half Diminished Minor 7
C♯ minor 7th flat 5th is built from C♯, E, G, and B. The 6th fret shape is a stretch that tests pinky independence.
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 6th fret as 6 7 7 7: index finger on the G string at fret 6, middle finger on the C string at fret 7, ring finger on the E string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 6 | 1 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 7 | 2 | G (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 7 | 3 | B (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 7 | 4 | E (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must fret the A string at fret 7 cleanly while the ring finger holds the E string at the same fret.
C♯m7♭5/B inversion
C♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 9 10: index finger on the G string at fret 9, pinky finger on the C string at fret 11, middle finger on the E string at fret 9 and ring finger on the A string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 9 | 1 | E (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 11 | 4 | B (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 9 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 10 | 3 | G (♭5) |
Open
C♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played in open position as 0 1 0 2: index finger on the C string at fret 1 and middle finger on the A string at fret 2. The G and E strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | open | — | G (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 1 | 1 | C♯ (1) |
| 2 (E) | open | — | E (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (♭7) |
C♯m7♭5/E inversion
C♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 3rd fret as 4 4 3 4: middle finger on the G string at fret 4, ring finger on the C string at fret 4, index 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) | 4 | 2 | B (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 4 | 3 | E (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 1 | G (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 4 | 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 gives the chord its unstable quality. Compare it to C♯ minor 7th, which raises the ♭5 to a perfect 5th.
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 works as the ii chord in B natural minor, leading to F♯ minor or B minor. Use it in jazz, blues, and ballads where a darker minor sound is needed.
Changing to and from C♯ minor 7th flat 5th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 5th fret gives C minor 7th flat 5th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 7th fret gives D minor 7th flat 5th.
Which voicing to use
The 6th fret voicing has C♯ in the bass, giving a root-position sound. For a lighter feel, use the C♯m7♭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 C♯m7♭5 or C♯. The ASCII root is C#. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
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.