F#m7b5: guitar chord voicings, inversions, scales and arpeggios

F#m7b5 (m7b5) is an interactive GuitarArcanum page with chord formula, intervals, voicings, inversions, triads, pentatonic patterns, scales and arpeggios on the fretboard.

Chord formula

Interval formula: 1 b3 b5 b7. A half-diminished 7th — minor 3rd, flat 5th, minor 7th. A dark, unstable chord; the main ii in minor keys.

Chord tones

The minor 3rd and flat 5th give a dark, unstable base, and the minor 7th softens it into a jazz sound — hence the other name, 'half-diminished.'

Sound character

Dark and tense, but not as sharp as a diminished 7th. Melancholy.

Harmonic function

Most often the ii in minor (ii – V – i), less often a leading-tone chord.

Typical progressions

G#m7b5 – C#7 – F#m
F#m7b5 – B7 – Em
ii° – V – i

Guitar voicing advice

Root on the 5th string. It shares its notes with an m6 from the minor 3rd — the bass decides the role.

Fretboard voicings for F#m7b5

A few curated F#m7b5 shapes with fret numbers, intervals and root markers.

F#m7b5 — Drop 2, root on 6th string, frets 1–4

F#m7b5 — Drop 2, root on 5th string, frets 8–11

F#m7b5 — Drop 2, root on 4th string, frets 3–6

Compatible scales for F#m7b5

Open interactive scale pages that naturally pair with this chord.

Other chord qualities on the F# root

Compare this chord with other qualities sharing the same root.