Gm7b5

Gm7b5 is G, Bb, Db and F, a half-diminished seventh. The shape this page opens on is written 3xx321, lowest string first.

Also written Gø, Gø7, Gm7-5, Gm7(b5) or G half diminished. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 8 common shapes for Gm7b5 on the guitar, and 30 derived voicings in 3 families.

In which keys. Every note of Gm7b5 belongs to F minor (the ii°) and Ab major (the vii°).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 3xx321, 3x332x, 345363, xx5666, x-10-8-10-8-9, x-10-11-10-11-x, x-x-11-12-11-13, 15-x-15-15-14-x.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. Gm7b5 has 3x332x, x-10-x-10-11-9, 15-x-15-15-14-x, 3136xx, 3886xx, x-10-15-15-14-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Gm7b5 has x1302x, xx3323, 3433xx, xx5666, x8868x, 9-10-8-10-x-x, x-x-8-10-8-9, x-10-11-10-11-x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Gm7b5 has x1x021, 3x332x, x4x363, 6x566x, x8x686, 9-x-8-10-8-x, x-10-x-10-11-9, 13-x-11-12-11-x.

Tensions. A shell of Gm7b5, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 11 (C) and the b13 (Eb).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.