CifraLab

Bm7b5 Guitar Chord

Bm7b5 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

Back to Chord Dictionary
Shape 1/3
Chord shapes:(3 positions)
Bm7b5Guitar fingering diagram for Bm7b51234×1324×STRING6ª×5ªB4ªF3ªA2ªD1ª×
View HD sheet

What sets Bm7b5 apart

The notes of Bm7b5 are B, D, F and A. B is the root, D the minor third, F the flat fifth and A the minor seventh.

From the low string to the high one you hear B, F, A and D. The lowest note is B on string 5 and the highest is D on string 2.

Bm7b5 is a closed shape with no open strings. Move it to another fret and the chord changes, but the fingering stays. Strings 6 and 1 are not played. Everything fits between frets 2 and 3. Besides the main one there are two more shapes, at frets 1 and 6.

Bdim7 is one change away. String 3 moves from fret 2 to fret 1, bringing in Ab, the diminished seventh of Bdim7. Bm7b5 holds the whole Dm chord inside it, D, F and A. Going to Bm, two positions stay the same.

Bm7b5 belongs to two keys. In C major it is the viiø7 and in A minor the iiø7.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

01C C - Am - Dm - G702G G - Em - Am - D703D D - Bm - Em - A704A A - F#m - Bm - E7
Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Bm7b5)

Formula: Half-Diminished (1 - ♭3 - ♭5 - ♭7)
Constituent chord intervals:

B 1D ♭3F ♭5A ♭7

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 2 (B)

String Control (Muted & Active)4 / 6 • 2 X Muted

3 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Bm7b5:

01

Jazz · Half-diminished

Standard Position
4 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)
String Control (Muted & Active):
6th String (Low E)
×Muted
Do not play
Root
5th String (A)
Fret 2Finger 1
BDegree 1
4th String (D)
Fret 3Finger 3
FDegree ♭5
3rd String (G)
Fret 2Finger 2
ADegree ♭7
2nd String (B)
Fret 3Finger 4
DDegree ♭3
1st String (High E)
×Muted
Do not play

Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 2 with your Index finger, 4th String (D) at fret 3 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 3 with your Pinky finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 1st String (High E).

02

Barre 7

Inversion
4 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
Fret 7Finger 2
BDegree 1
5th String (A)
×Muted
Do not play
4th String (D)
Fret 7Finger 3
ADegree ♭7
3rd String (G)
Fret 7Finger 4
DDegree ♭3
2nd String (B)
Fret 6Finger 1
FDegree ♭5
1st String (High E)
×Muted
Do not play

Placement tip: Press: 6th String (Low E) at fret 7 with your Middle finger, 4th String (D) at fret 7 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 7 with your Pinky finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 6 with your Index finger. Don't play: 5th String (A), 1st String (High E).

03

Open

Inversion
5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)
String Control (Muted & Active):
6th String (Low E)
×Muted
Do not play
Root
5th String (A)
Fret 2Finger 2
BDegree 1
4th String (D)
○Open
DDegree ♭3
3rd String (G)
Fret 2Finger 3
ADegree ♭7
2nd String (B)
○Open
BDegree 1
1st String (High E)
Fret 1Finger 1
FDegree ♭5

Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 2 with your Ring finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 1 with your Index finger. Play open: 4th String (D), 2nd String (B). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Bm7b5)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

ItemIn this chord
Frets2 to 3
Fretting fingers4
Opennone
Muted6th and 1st

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Bm7b5

Listen: Bm7b5 → Bm · Em · G

  1. Bm7b5
  2. Bm
  3. Bm7b5
  4. Em
  5. Bm7b5
  6. G
Bm7b5 → Bm01
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions
Stay in place
  • string 5, fret 2
  • string 2, fret 3
Move
  • string 4, fret 4
  • string 3, fret 4
  • string 1, fret 2
Bm7b5 → Em02
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays
Stay in place
  • finger 1: string 5, fret 2
Move
  • finger 2: string 4, fret 2
Bm7b5 → G03
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays
Stay in place
  • finger 1: string 5, fret 2
Move
  • finger 2: string 6, fret 3
  • finger 3: string 1, fret 3

Bm7b5 in every key

Bm7b5 sits in the scale of 2 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty
3/5
Highest fret
3
Frets the hand covers
2
Barre
No
Strings that ring
4/6
Fretting fingers
4

Major keys

Minor keys

Bm7b5 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (Bm7b5)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Bm7b5 chord?

To play the Bm7b5 chord on guitar, only 4 strings are played, from string 5 to string 2. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the Bm7b5 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Bm7b5 chord is its root note: B. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 2.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the Bm7b5 chord and what is its formula?

The Bm7b5 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - ♭5 - ♭7 formula (Half-Diminished). Its constituent pitches are B, D, F, A.

How do you prevent the Bm7b5 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the Bm7b5 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official Bm7b5 chord diagram

Bm7b5 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4
Download HD sheet

Thanks for studying with CifraLab

If this chord helped you, support us with a coffee on Ko-fi.

Buy a coffee

Other chords in the B family:

Chord B Chord Bb Chord Bm Chord Bbm Chord B7 Chord Bb7 Chord Bmaj7 Chord Bbmaj7