Learn › B Flat Half-Diminished Chord on Piano (Bbm7b5)
New Released in April 2026
B Flat Half-Diminished Chord on Piano (Bbm7b5)
Bbm7b5, the B flat half-diminished 7th chord, stacks Db, Fb and Ab on top of Bb. Four keys, formula 1 b3 b5 b7: the Bbdim triad plus Ab. Here you will find its inversions, both hands and the chords it belongs with.
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- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
How to play Bbm7b5 on the piano
| Hand | Bb | Db | Fb | Ab |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 (thumb) | 2 | 3 | 5 (little) |
| Left hand | 5 (little) | 3 | 2 | 1 (thumb) |
Too much stretch? Play Bb alone in the left hand and Db Fb Ab in the right.
Bbm7b5 without the third
Here keep the flat fifth: Bb Fb Ab, root, b5 and seventh. The b5 is what separates Bbm7b5 from Bbm7, so the third is the note to leave out.
A 5-minute Bbm7b5 routine
- Play Bb, Db, Fb, Ab slowly in root position and say "Bbm7b5" each time.
- Walk up through the inversions (Db Fb Ab Bb, Fb Ab Bb Db, Ab Bb Db Fb) without lifting the whole hand.
- Play it in its ii-V-I, Bbm7b5 → Eb7 → Abm, four beats per chord.
- Then mix it with chords you already know, in an order you do not choose: that is where it sticks.
Short daily rounds fix Bbm7b5 in memory faster than one long practice a week.
How Bbm7b5 differs from the other 7th chords on Bb
One note changes and the chord gets a new name.
B flat half-diminished 7th chord inversions
In the 3rd inversion Ab is the lowest note: the seventh in the bass.
Root position: Bb Db Fb Ab
1st inversion: Db Fb Ab Bb
2nd inversion: Fb Ab Bb Db
3rd inversion: Ab Bb Db Fb
Make Bbm7b5 automatic
ChordRunner sends Bbm7b5 at you between other chords and checks every note you play. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
Play the demoCommon questions
What notes are in the B flat half-diminished 7th chord?
Bbm7b5 has four notes: Bb, Db, Fb, Ab. Root, minor third, diminished fifth and minor seventh (formula 1 b3 b5 b7).
What are the inversions of Bbm7b5?
Root position Bb Db Fb Ab, 1st inversion Db Fb Ab Bb, 2nd inversion Fb Ab Bb Db and 3rd inversion Ab Bb Db Fb. Every position is still Bbm7b5.
Where does Bbm7b5 go?
Bbm7b5 is the iiø7 of Ab minor and the viiø7 of Cb major. In a minor ii-V-i it opens the cadence: Bbm7b5 → Eb7 → Abm.
Can I practise Bbm7b5 with a MIDI keyboard?
Yes. In ChordRunner a USB MIDI keyboard is detected automatically, and an acoustic piano works through the microphone. Bbm7b5 counts in any inversion, as long as Bb, Db, Fb, Ab sound together.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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