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F♯ minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele (F♯m7♭5)
Also called or written F♯m7♭5, F♯ or F♯ Half Diminished Minor 7
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is built from F♯, A, C, and E. The 11th fret shape is a compact four-finger grip that suits quick changes.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7
- Root positionF♯–A–C–EF♯m7♭55-6-5-7
- First inversionA–C–E–F♯F♯m7♭5/A9-9-8-9
- Second inversionC–E–F♯–AF♯m7♭5/C11-12-12-12
- Third inversionE–F♯–A–CF♯m7♭5/E2-4-2-3
How do you play an F♯ minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele?
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 11th fret as 11 12 12 12: index finger on the G string at fret 11, middle finger on the C string at fret 12, ring finger on the E string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 11 | 1 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 12 | 2 | C (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 12 | 3 | E (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 12 | 4 | A (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must fret the A string at fret 12 cleanly while the ring finger holds the E string at the same fret.
F♯m7♭5/E inversion
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 4 2 3: index finger on the G string at fret 2, pinky finger on the C string at fret 4, middle finger on the E string at fret 2 and ring finger on the A string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 1 | A (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 4 | 4 | E (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 3 | C (♭5) |
5th fret
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 5th fret as 5 6 5 7: index finger on the G string at fret 5, ring finger on the C string at fret 6, middle finger on the E string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 1 | C (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 6 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 5 | 2 | A (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 7 | 4 | E (♭7) |
F♯m7♭5/A inversion
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 8th fret as 9 9 8 9: middle finger on the G string at fret 9, ring finger on the C string at fret 9, index finger on the E string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 9 | 2 | E (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 9 | 3 | A (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 1 | C (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 9 | 4 | F♯ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th uses the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between F♯ and C creates the half-diminished sound. Compare it to F♯ minor 7th, which has a perfect 5th instead.
What goes wrong with F♯ 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
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th functions as the ii chord in E natural minor, often moving to B minor or E minor. Its dark quality suits jazz ballads and minor blues.
Changing to and from F♯ minor 7th flat 5th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 10th fret gives F minor 7th flat 5th.
Which voicing to use
The 11th fret voicing has F♯ in the bass, giving a root-position sound. For a softer attack, try the F♯m7♭5/A inversion with A in the bass.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ minor 7th flat 5th written?
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th is written as F♯m7♭5 or F♯. The ASCII root is F#. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ minor 7th flat 5th and F♯ diminished?
F♯ diminished is a triad with notes F♯, A, C. F♯ minor 7th flat 5th adds the minor 7th E.
Can F♯ minor 7th flat 5th be used in place of F♯ minor?
F♯ minor 7th flat 5th has a flattened fifth, so it sounds more tense than F♯ minor. Use it when you want a darker color.