The F# half-diminished / Gb half-diminished chord (F#m7b5) is made of the notes F#, A, C and E. It is built from the root F# with a minor third, a diminished fifth and a minor seventh.
The half-diminished chord (m7b5) is the second-degree chord of minor keys; very common in jazz.
F# half-diminished
Notes: F# – A – C – E
Guitar — positions on the neck
Piano — root position and inversions
Fingerings and positions
On guitar, this chord can be played in 4 ways along the neck. It is most often played with a barre. Example fingering (from the low E string to the high E string, x = muted string): 2322xx. On piano, the right hand plays 4 notes, in root position or in an inversion.
Notes and intervals
Note
Interval
F#
root
A
minor third
C
diminished fifth
E
minor seventh
In which keys? The F# half-diminished chord is the viiø7 of G major and the iiø7 of E minor.
What are the notes of the F# half-diminished chord?
The notes of the F# half-diminished chord (F#m7b5) are F#, A, C and E.
How do you play the F# half-diminished chord on guitar?
On guitar, this chord can be played in 4 ways along the neck. It is most often played with a barre. Example fingering (from the low E string to the high E string, x = muted string): 2322xx.
How is the F# half-diminished chord built?
The F# half-diminished / Gb half-diminished chord (F#m7b5) is made of the notes F#, A, C and E. It is built from the root F# with a minor third, a diminished fifth and a minor seventh.
Are F# and Gb the same chord?
Yes: F# and Gb are the same note (they are called enharmonic), so F# half-diminished / Gb half-diminished is played exactly the same way, with the same fingerings.