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D minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele (Dm7♭5)
Also called or written Dm7♭5, D or D Half Diminished Minor 7
D minor 7th flat 5th is built from D, F, A♭, and C. The 7th fret shape is a compact four-finger grip that suits quick changes.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7
- Root positionD–F–A♭–CDm7♭51-2-1-3
- First inversionF–A♭–C–DDm7♭5/F5-5-4-5
- Second inversionA♭–C–D–FDm7♭5/A♭7-8-8-8
- Third inversionC–D–F–A♭Dm7♭5/C10-12-10-11
How do you play a D minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele?
D minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 7th fret as 7 8 8 8: index finger on the G string at fret 7, middle finger on the C string at fret 8, ring finger on the E string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 7 | 1 | D (1) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 2 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 3 | C (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 4 | F (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must fret the A string at fret 8 cleanly while the ring finger holds the E string at the same fret.
Dm7♭5/C inversion
D minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 10th fret as 10 12 10 11: index finger on the G string at fret 10, pinky finger on the C string at fret 12, middle finger on the E string at fret 10 and ring finger on the A string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 1 | F (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 12 | 4 | C (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 10 | 2 | D (1) |
| 1 (A) | 11 | 3 | A♭ (♭5) |
1st fret
D minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 1st fret as 1 2 1 3: index finger on the G string at fret 1, ring finger on the C string at fret 2, middle finger on the E string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 1 | 1 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 2 | 3 | D (1) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 2 | F (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (♭7) |
Dm7♭5/F inversion
D minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 4th fret as 5 5 4 5: middle finger on the G string at fret 5, ring finger on the C string at fret 5, index finger on the E string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 2 | C (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 3 | F (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 4 | 1 | A♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 5 | 4 | D (1) |
Why it sounds like that
D minor 7th flat 5th uses the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between D and A♭ creates the half-diminished sound. Compare it to D minor 7th, which has a perfect 5th instead.
What goes wrong with D 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
D minor 7th flat 5th functions as the ii chord in C natural minor, often moving to G minor or C minor. Its dark quality suits jazz ballads and minor blues.
Changing to and from D minor 7th flat 5th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 6th fret gives C♯ minor 7th flat 5th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 8th fret gives E♭ minor 7th flat 5th.
Which voicing to use
The 7th fret voicing has D in the bass, giving a root-position sound. For a softer attack, try the Dm7♭5/F inversion with F in the bass.
Other D chords
Common questions
How is D minor 7th flat 5th written?
D minor 7th flat 5th is written as Dm7♭5 or D. It is also called Half Diminished Minor 7.
What is the difference between D minor 7th flat 5th and D diminished?
D diminished is a triad with notes D, F, A♭. D minor 7th flat 5th adds the minor 7th C.
Can D minor 7th flat 5th be used in place of D minor?
D minor 7th flat 5th has a flattened fifth, so it sounds more tense than D minor. Use it when you want a darker color.