In this chord feature, we will be looking at the minor 7 flat 5 chord. If you want a minor 7th chord with a bluesy feel, this is the chord for you!
To begin, all we need is a C minor chord. We can build this chord by using a C-Eb-G. Now, we need to make this chord a 7th by adding in the 7th note of the C Minor scale which is Bb. Now we have C-Eb-G and Bb. Sounds good already doesn’t it?
Let’s see what happens if we flatten the 5th by a half step. This means we will take the 5th note of the C minor scale which is G and move it down a half step to Gb giving us C-Eb-Gb-Bb. This is the minor 7 flat five. Tada!
Fun fact: This chord can also be called a half diminished chord because you will notice that our first intervals from C-Eb are a minor third and Eb-Gb is a minor third. This mini stack of minor 3rds is what gives it that diminished feeling.
What we end up with is a chord that has a really nice bluesy vibe. This is because of the flattened 5 which is a part of the blues scale or pentatonic scale. Who knew that one little change could have such a great impact?
Enjoy!
Jordan
Jordan Leibel is passionate about songwriting, improvisation, and helping you become a creative musician! He’s worked as a composer for film, commercial, and theatre projects as well as a session musician and producer for recording work.
By signing up you’ll also receive our ongoing free lessons and special offers. Don’t worry, we value your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.
We use cookies for traffic data and advertising. Cookie Policy »