The G#m7b5 chord (G sharp minor 7 flat 5, or G sharp half diminished) contains the notes G#, B, D and F#, which is the 1 (root) b3, b5 and b7 of the G# Major scale. It can be viewed as a G#m7 chord with a flat 5 or a G# diminished chord with an added b7.
The half diminished chord can sound like a very dissonant chord, when played in isolation. However, when played in the context of other chords, it can sound beautiful. G#m7b5 is the 7th chord in the key of A Major. Try playing an A chord, then an G#m7b5 chord and then return to A. This is an example of how G#m7b5 can sound beautiful in context.
The G#m7b5 chord is most commonly played with the root note on the 4th fret of the 6th string (2nd shape in the picture below).
10 Ways To Play The G#m7b5 Chord
If you’ve come to this page just to view some chord diagrams for G#m7b5 (G sharp half diminished), here they are.
Some Quick G#m7b5 Chord Theory
- The G sharp minor 7 flat 5 chord contains the notes G#, B, D and F#.
- The G#m7b5 chord is produced by playing the 1st (root), flat 3rd, flat 5th and flat 7th of the G# Major scale.
- The G sharp minor 7 flat 5 chord (just like all half diminished chords) contains the following intervals (from the root note): minor 3rd, minor 3rd, Major 3rd, Major 2nd (back to the root note).
- G#m7b5 is a G# diminished chord, with an added flat 7th (F#) included, or a G#m7 chord with the 5th lowered by a semitone.
- G#m7b5 is the 7th chord in the key of A.
- The G# locrian mode can be used when soloing over the G#m7b5 chord.