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E minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele (Em7♭5)
Also called or written Em7♭5, E or E Half Diminished Minor 7
E minor 7th flat 5th is built from E, G, B♭, and D. The 9th fret shape is a compact four-finger grip that suits quick changes.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7
- Root positionE–G–B♭–DEm7♭53-4-3-5
- First inversionG–B♭–D–EEm7♭5/G7-7-6-7
- Second inversionB♭–D–E–GEm7♭5/B♭9-10-10-10
- Third inversionD–E–G–B♭Em7♭5/D0-2-0-1
How do you play an E minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele?
E minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 9th fret as 9 10 10 10: index finger on the G string at fret 9, middle finger on the C string at fret 10, ring finger on the E string at fret 10 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 9 | 1 | E (1) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 2 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 10 | 3 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 10 | 4 | G (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must fret the A string at fret 10 cleanly while the ring finger holds the E string at the same fret.
Em7♭5/D inversion
E minor 7th flat 5th is played in open position as 0 2 0 1: middle finger on the C string at fret 2 and index finger on the A string at fret 1. The G and E strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | open | — | G (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 2 | 2 | D (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
3rd fret
E minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 4 3 5: index finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the C string at fret 4, middle finger on the E string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 4 | 3 | E (1) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 2 | G (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 5 | 4 | D (♭7) |
Em7♭5/G inversion
E minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 6th fret as 7 7 6 7: middle finger on the G string at fret 7, ring finger on the C string at fret 7, index finger on the E string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 7 | 2 | D (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 7 | 3 | G (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 1 | B♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 7 | 4 | E (1) |
Why it sounds like that
E minor 7th flat 5th uses the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between E and B♭ creates the half-diminished sound. Compare it to E minor 7th, which has a perfect 5th instead.
What goes wrong with E 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
E minor 7th flat 5th functions as the ii chord in D natural minor, often moving to A minor or D minor. Its dark quality suits jazz ballads and minor blues.
Changing to and from E minor 7th flat 5th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 8th fret gives E♭ minor 7th flat 5th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 10th fret gives F minor 7th flat 5th.
Which voicing to use
The 9th fret voicing has E in the bass, giving a root-position sound. For a softer attack, try the Em7♭5/G inversion with G in the bass.
Other E chords
Common questions
How is E minor 7th flat 5th written?
E minor 7th flat 5th is written as Em7♭5 or E. It is also called Half Diminished Minor 7.
What is the difference between E minor 7th flat 5th and E diminished?
E diminished is a triad with notes E, G, B♭. E minor 7th flat 5th adds the minor 7th D.
Can E minor 7th flat 5th be used in place of E minor?
E minor 7th flat 5th has a flattened fifth, so it sounds more tense than E minor. Use it when you want a darker color.