A♭ half-diminished (A♭m7b5) chord on guitar

The A♭ half-diminished chord (A♭m7b5) is a half-diminished seventh chord (a diminished triad plus a minor seventh), made of four notes: A♭ – C♭ – E𝄫 – G♭. The same chord with a different spelling: G♯ half-diminished (G♯m7b5).

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

E shape, fret 4hard

D shape, fret 6medium

Position 9medium

A shape, fret 11medium

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

Chord finder Transposer Tuner

What the A♭m7b5 chord sounds like

The half-diminished (m7b5) chord is a diminished triad with a minor seventh. In a minor key it sits on degree ii – the first chord of the minor ii–V–i.

Notes of the A♭m7b5 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	A♭	root
3	C♭	minor third (3 semitones)
5	E𝄫	diminished fifth (6 semitones)
7	G♭	minor seventh (10 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Easy version

String 1 (e): fret 2, index finger (G♭4)
String 2 (B): open (C♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 4, little finger (C♭4)
String 4 (D): open (E𝄫3)
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): fret 4, ring finger (A♭2)

E shape, fret 4, barre at fret 4

String 1 (e): fret 4, index finger (A♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 7, little finger (G♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 4, index finger (C♭4)
String 4 (D): fret 6, ring finger (A♭3)
String 5 (A): fret 5, middle finger (E𝄫3)
String 6 (E): fret 4, index finger (A♭2)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 4; your other fingers press the higher frets.

D shape, fret 6

String 1 (e): fret 7, little finger (C♭5)
String 2 (B): fret 7, ring finger (G♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 7, middle finger (E𝄫4)
String 4 (D): fret 6, index finger (A♭3)
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): not played

The “C, A, G, E and D shapes” are the CAGED system: you slide the shape of the open C, A, G, E or D chord up the neck and your index finger (a barre) takes over the job of the nut. That way the same chord can be played in five places, anywhere on the fretboard.

Tuning: E A D G B E (low to high). String 6 is the thickest, the low E. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Playing A♭m7b5 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a A♭m7b5 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 4
shape: Em7b5

Capo: fret 6
shape: Dm7b5

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Similar chords and substitutes

If A♭m7b5 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

E9 – a rootless dominant ninth: the same notes over a root a major third lower
C♯7 – the next chord in a minor ii–V–i (V)

Same notes

Bm6 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

A♭dim – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the A♭m7b5 chord?

A♭, C♭, E𝄫, G♭. The root is A♭; the intervals of the other notes from the root: minor third, diminished fifth, minor seventh.

What is the easiest way to play A♭m7b5 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Easy version”, rated easy. We show 5 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck. With a capo you can also play it as a Em7b5 shape at fret 4 or a Dm7b5 shape at fret 6.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

How is the A♭m7b5 chord written?

The chord symbol is A♭m7b5 (also written Abm7b5), and its full name is A♭ half-diminished.