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G minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele (Gm7♭5)
Also called or written Gm7♭5, G or G Half Diminished Minor 7
G minor 7th flat 5th contains G, B♭, D♭, and F. Its open position uses a one-finger barre across the top three strings.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7
- Root positionG–B♭–D♭–FGm7♭56-7-6-8
- First inversionB♭–D♭–F–GGm7♭5/B♭10-10-9-10
- Second inversionD♭–F–G–B♭Gm7♭5/D♭0-1-1-1
- Third inversionF–G–B♭–D♭Gm7♭5/F3-5-3-4
How do you play a G minor 7th flat 5th chord on ukulele?
G minor 7th flat 5th is played in open position as 0 1 1 1: barre your index finger across fret 1. The G string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | open | — | G (1) |
| 3 (C) | 1 | 1 (barre) | D♭ (♭5) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe index finger must barre three strings at the 1st fret while the open G string rings cleanly.
Gm7♭5/F inversion
G minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 5 3 4: index finger on the G string at fret 3, pinky finger on the C string at fret 5, middle finger on the E string at fret 3 and ring finger on the A string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 1 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 4 | F (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 2 | G (1) |
| 1 (A) | 4 | 3 | D♭ (♭5) |
6th fret
G minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 6th fret as 6 7 6 8: index finger on the G string at fret 6, ring finger on the C string at fret 7, middle finger on the E string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 6 | 1 | D♭ (♭5) |
| 3 (C) | 7 | 3 | G (1) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 2 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 4 | F (♭7) |
Gm7♭5/B♭ inversion
G minor 7th flat 5th is played at the 9th fret as 10 10 9 10: middle finger on the G string at fret 10, ring finger on the C string at fret 10, index finger on the E string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 2 | F (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 3 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 9 | 1 | D♭ (♭5) |
| 1 (A) | 10 | 4 | G (1) |
Why it sounds like that
G minor 7th flat 5th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7. The diminished 5th between G and D♭ gives the chord its tense quality. Compare it to G minor 7th, which raises the ♭5 to a perfect 5th.
What goes wrong with G minor 7th flat 5th?
- Letting the barre finger lift off the E string, causing a muted note.
- Pressing the barre too hard, causing the open G string to buzz.
- Allowing the barre finger to touch the G string, deadening its sound.
When to use it
G minor 7th flat 5th functions as the ii chord in F natural minor and the vii chord in A♭ major. Use it in progressions like Gm7♭5–C7–Fm, or as a passing chord to G minor. Its tense sound suits jazz and funk.
Changing to and from G minor 7th flat 5th
- Move to F minor 7th flat 5th by sliding the barre down two frets to the 1st fret and adding fingers.
- Move to G minor 7th by lifting the barre and placing fingers on the 1st fret of the C, E, and A strings individually.
Which voicing to use
The open position keeps G in the bass for a root-position sound. The Gm7♭5/B♭ inversion at the 3rd fret puts B♭ in the bass, softening the chord's edge. For a darker feel, use the Gm7♭5/D♭ inversion at the 6th fret.
Other G chords
Common questions
How is G minor 7th flat 5th written?
G minor 7th flat 5th is written as Gm7♭5 or G. It is also called Half Diminished Minor 7.
What is the difference between G minor 7th flat 5th and G diminished?
Its verified note order explains the sound without relying on outside harmony. The added minor 7th softens the diminished sound.
Can G minor 7th flat 5th be played without a barre?
The open position uses a barre across the top three strings. You can fret each string individually, but the barre is more efficient.