Bm7b5 Chord on Guitar: How To Play the B Minor Seventh Flat five chord

B m7b5 position 1 guitar chord diagram

Welcome to our tutorial on the B m7b5 chord, a member of the Diminished Chords family. This chord is a fascinating one, composed of the notes B, D, F, and A. Its structure is built on a series of musical intervals: the 1, b3, b5, and b7.

The B m7b5 chord is a rich and complex chord, with its distinctive sound often utilized in various genres of music. Understanding this chord, its structure, and how to play it will significantly expand your guitar skills and repertoire.

The intervals that construct this chord have specific names. The '1' is the Root, 'b3' is the Minor Third, 'b5' is the Diminished Fifth, and 'b7' is the Minor Seventh. If you're new to these terms, you may want to check out our tutorial about fretboard intervals and tutorial on how to denote chords depending on the intervals that compose it for a more detailed explanation.

This chord belongs to the Diminished Chords family, which are known for their dissonant and tense sound. They are often used to create tension in music that needs to be resolved to a more stable chord. If you're interested in learning more about this family of chords, our tutorial about diminished (dim) guitar chords is a great place to start.

In this tutorial, we will provide you with chord diagrams and fretboard patterns to show you the tones that compose the B m7b5 chord. If you're interested in understanding how these chords are built, our tutorial that teaches how to build chords by stacking intervals will be a valuable resource.

We hope this tutorial will help you master the B m7b5 chord and enhance your understanding of guitar music theory. Happy playing!

Notes that compose the B m7b5 chord:

B D F A

Chord structure of the Minor Seventh Flat five chord:

1
b2
2
b3
3
4
b5
5
#5
6
b7
7

B Minor Seventh Flat five Guitar Chord Shapes

Chord boxes are sorted from the easiest to the hardest. Learn how to read chord diagrams.

If you have difficulties with bar chord shapes, check the Bar Chords Tips tutorial.

You can also use this accessible chords page with written diagrams instruction.

Position 1
Movable

B m7b5 position 3 guitar chord diagram

Position 2
Movable

B m7b5 position 4 guitar chord diagram

Position 3
Open

B m7b5 position 1 guitar chord diagram

Position 4
Barre Movable

B m7b5 position 2 guitar chord diagram

download this tutorial in pdf You can find more shapes in our all guitar chords online library. If you prefer a printable pdf, download the Free Guitar Chords Chart Pdf

Play This Chord With Other Roots

C m7b5 | D m7b5 | E m7b5 | F m7b5 | G m7b5 | A m7b5 | B m7b5 | C#m7b5 | D#m7b5 | F#m7b5 | G#m7b5 | A#m7b5 | Abm7b5 | Bbm7b5 | Dbm7b5 | Ebm7b5 | Gbm7b5

FAQ

What do the 'm7b5' symbols mean in the Bm7b5 chord name?

The symbols indicate the specific intervals used to build the chord from its root note. 'm' refers to a Minor Third, '7' signifies a Minor Seventh, and 'b5' means a Diminished Fifth. Together, these define the unique structure of the Bm7b5 chord.

What notes are essential for playing a Bm7b5 chord on the guitar?

To form a Bm7b5 chord, you need to play the notes B, D, F, and A. These notes correspond to the 1 (Root), b3 (Minor Third), b5 (Diminished Fifth), and b7 (Minor Seventh) intervals, respectively.

How do the specific intervals (1, b3, b5, b7) define the Bm7b5 chord's structure?

The intervals are the building blocks: '1' is the Root (B), 'b3' is the Minor Third (D), 'b5' is the Diminished Fifth (F), and 'b7' is the Minor Seventh (A). These four specific intervals create the unique sound and identity of the Bm7b5 chord.

What is the characteristic sound of the Bm7b5 chord, and how is it typically used in music?

The Bm7b5 chord has a rich, complex, and distinctive sound, often described as dissonant and tense. It is frequently used in music to create tension that typically needs to be resolved into a more stable chord, adding drama and movement to a piece.

Why is the Bm7b5 chord categorized under the 'Diminished Chords' family?

The Bm7b5 chord is part of the Diminished Chords family because of its inherent dissonant and tense quality, largely due to its Diminished Fifth interval (b5). Chords in this family are known for creating musical tension that demands resolution.

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