The Secret Chord You Need To Meet: The Half Diminished (m7b5)
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2024
- Meet one of the most misunderstood chords: the half diminished, also notated as m7b5 (minor seventh flat five). This chord has a really unique and flavorful sound that beginners often mistake for dissonance. In this piano lesson you will learn how to construct it and I'll also give you two examples of where and when to use it.
- Hudba
I personally love this chord as the feeling it conveys to me is bittersweet or sad moments. It feels like going through a lot but then a little happiness. I find it weirdly calming and just lets me melt away.
Another tip guys for changing Fm to Dm7b5 is just change the root note and drop 3 semitone. For example is Cm to Am7b5, change the root (C) drop 3 semitones and you will get A without moving the other notes.
That's a good tip. Thanks for chiming in!
I like to use these a lot, especially arpeggiated. It's so mystical and enchanting. So Zelda-like.
You neglect to mention its (by far) most common usage, which as the ii chord in a minor key ii - V - i progression.
very nice video! m7b5 is also used as a ii chord in a minor key in jazz especially with a ii V i progression
That could very well be!
Love your videos. They always get straight to the point, no-frills but great, valuable content that's clearly explained. Thank you so much!
Instantly thought of "Imagine". Btw as someone who has 8 years of music school and some basic piano playing skills, I find your videos on jazz/soul/R&B harmony very helpful. Not really like the classical harmony I was taught in school :/. Keep up the great work! :D
I have a Higher A for music and learned absolutely FUCK DIDDLY ALL in school. They didn't teach us to read music. Didn't teach us scales. Didn't teach us about chord connections and substitutions or even how to construct chords from the scale.
All they focused on was being able to recognise and identify some music terms when you hear them.
Absolute fucking waste of everyone's time. Waste of MY time. Waste of THEIR time. Utter, utter bullshit.
Yessssss throw those 9s in there too. Love it. My favorite chord being used in conjunction with my SECOND favorite chord? magic.
I really love half-diminished chords, and I often use them in order to substitute a dominant 7th or (even better) a flat 9th chord. For example, in C major, Bø7 can substitute a G7 (to C). In C major another great chord is F#ø7, which substitutes a D9 and adds a beautiful sophisticated tension even to the simplest chord progressions. For example, C - F#ø7 - Dø7 - C can be used to substitute a much more dull C - D9 - G7b9sus4 - C. Great video!
Thank you for your input Filippo.
Holy crap youre right lol. To keep it on one hand i inverted it, still works. I gotta write this down...
Filippo, could you explain the music theory basis of your comment? Playing them on the piano sounds great, but I'd like to understand why that is.
@@dennislee9134 F#ø7 substitutes D9 because it has basically the same notes. You can think of it as a rootless D9. The same goes for Dø7, which can be thought as a rootless G7b9sus4. The progression sounds better when you play Dø7/F as it creates a nice chromatic movement of some voices (F# to F and A to Ab).
I AM so Glad with your lessons !!!
Very good. Congratulations !!!
Big thanks!
You've opened up a whole new world for me.
Excellent. Clear, concise, easy to understand.
Nice to see this one right after your Diminished chords tutorial.Thank you
Solid Gold lesson. Thank you.
Personally, I use this chord super often but if it's really that underappreciated, then you've definetely done a great job in teaching it! :)
I'm under the impression it's considered "advanced" by beginners who stick to the more boring major and minor chords.
MangoldProject When you consider pop music, the chord (and way to many chords) are very underrepresented :) as a jazz musician this chord belongs to bread and butter (as you know; I have heard the chord in your videos numerous of times! ^^)
True dat, and quite unfortunately, because it really has a unique color that would make pop music more interesting.
Your videos are great dude. Thanks for showing us these examples. I learn a lot from your videos
Very clearly explained, thank you.
I love your approach to teaching. I actually learn something.
You do good work man, keep it up you're helping a lot of people
Fantastic lesson sir,thanks a lot
Very nice video. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, this video was exactly what i was looking for when i was curious how this chord can work!
Enharmonically equivalent to minor 6th.. Dm7flat5 and Fm6 are enharmonically the same. Jus the root differs.
It depends on which 2nd you choose
@@paxwallacejazz it's more equivalent to dorian #4 or dorian b5.
That's the different between A harmonic min and C harmonic Maj
You could play those as full or half dim...
or you look it this way...G, B D, F = B dim/G
so when you play A melodic min ...it's F# dim/D G# dim/E..
when you apply the whole or Harmonic min b2...
some of it can be #6 or b7.....but they'll all have possible tritone as #4.
From C Major....
if you play C double harmonic min aka Hungarian min
it'll also give the so call...Ab...italian, German or Frence.
The mode is simply Ab Lydian #2, #6
You can play C Hungarian MAJOR ( lydian #2, b7 or Mix #2, #4)
1,3, 5, b7...or 1, #2, 5, b7....or 1, #2, #4, 6...or 1, #2, #4, b7...
amways...
first you learn how to play B dim into C ( semi tone)
then....two semi tone...
you could play A dim......B dim into C
instead of F7 G7 into C..
The Bb7...is basical....D dim/Bb......D dim into E that's just B7 into E
Then you learn how to play it WH ( 3 semi tone apart.
Basically the Full dim...
lets say from A min...
I play A min......B7 into E Maj7 ( C# min/E MAJOR)
I could had play G#7 ( G# phry b4 into C#min)
or A dim....C dim into C# min
The N6 or full dim
from C# min.......D min/dim......E7 to A MAJOR or A min
C # min D maj7 E7 F# min /A MAJOR
C # min D dim F dim G# dim A min
C# min D dim E dim into F min
Amin Bb7 C7 into F min...or F MAJOR :-P
Well if you play A aeo b5 ( C melodic min) with a leading tone
A Harmonic min b5......That's F lydian #2, b7 :-P
or you could play
A melodic min ......F# aeo b5 with a leading tone
That's D LYDIAN DOMINANT #2 :-P
@@oneeyemonster3262 thanks a lot for your comment , at least I'm really happy to read it !
That's quitte useful as I dive deep into dominant/diminished/upper extensions and modes of the harmonic minor ;
Cheers from France :)
@@LouisSerieusement The trick is to play C Harmonic MAJOR and A Harmonic min....AND C Harmonic minor and A Harmonic MAJOR
2, 4, b6,7 ...wheather you count from A or from C..
Harmonic MAJOR or Harmonic min
In a nut shell...you also get used to play B dim D dim F dim G# in A MAJOR
or A min.....D min/dim E7 into A MAJOR or A min
You could had also played F dim into F# min/A MAJOR
A Lydian b3..( minor tonic) TERM LYDIAN will HELP you associate with
the 4th or b6......( then to possible modulation to other keys 2. 4. b6. 7)
as in b6, 7 into C# min
or 4, b6, 7 into E min......A min ( dor #4) B7 into E min or E MAJOR
or G MAJOR or G min ( 2, 4, b6, 7)
A dor b5....or A dor b2.....or A loc...loc maj6
when you play A harmonic min b2....or melodic min b2
Bb.....counter clock wise.....Lydian. ...ion.....Mix
CYCLE DOWN to the 4th,.......
Lydian, #6 or Lydian #5, #6
D double harmonic min.....Bb Lydian #2, #6
Bb Lydian to D min..........Bb lydian aug to G melodic min
You could play Bbdim into B min..
But you can also you this.....Bb7 A7 into D Maj7/B min
if you go to the Freanch....german. itailan...lesson
It's just C Double harmonic min vamp over C MAJOR
A min Abma7 G7 into C MAJOR
or
C Maj F Min.....Ab Maj G7 into C MAJOR
C Maj Db Maj7 AbMaj G7 into C MAJOR
Db Maj Lydian..ish to F min ( chord...or KEY)
You could had played A min Bb7 C7 into F min ( F melodic minor)
its' the same sort of movment
if I play F Maj7....A min......C Maj...B7 into E MAJOR ( tonic)
or reverse it...so you'll see it,..from C# min/E MAJOR
C# min.....E Maj...F maj7 A min C Maj B7 into E MAJOR
Inversions and voicings are taken for granted tho (which is ok, I presume). I've discovered inversions after 10 years of playing piano 😂
Super interesting, thank you very much !
you can also use the m7b5 chord as a iv chord substitution by playing Fm7b5 resolving to Cmajor they share a tritone and function as a dominant in the key of C :)
Good video, but my personal favourite use of this chord missed out: as a preparation to a dominant in a minor key.
Brazilian music in particular uses this chord all the time for this purpose, both within a key and for the purpose of modulation or temporary tonicisation.
An extreme example of this would be in "flor de liz" by djavan, in which the second chord of the verse is already a sneaky modulation from C major to E minor by these means.
C F#m7b5 B7 Em
And for a real study in just how beautiful a half diminished chord can be, listen to João Gilberto's recording of "A felicidade"
it has some sensational falling half diminished to dominant patterns that just pull at your heartstrings.
Dm7 G7 C A7
a gente trabalha...
F#mb5 B7 Em7b5 A7 Dm7b5 G7
C
bro good taste
@@legoguy23451 thanks!
What's a dominant in a minor key? Like C7 or G7 in Dm and Bm respectively?
@@globetrotting2632 could you rephrase your question? Happy to help but I'm sleepy and I didn't get what you're asking haha
you have such a good musical taste
in octave position it is great to do any dominant like g7. g b d f . just move middle fingers down an voila the minor and flat five. I really like your channel..
I'm a guitar player and I still come here to get answers to questions I have on theory. Really great explanations in your videos. Cheers.
Thanks! I'm always surprised at how many comments I get from guitar players.
Great work
Everybody's got to learn sometime
panaotis .c and he finished the video by saying "change your mind.." :)
YEAH that was precisely what I was aiming for :D
Heart ... ;)
Man, I was just listening to that song last night REALLY love it. It does have some interesting chord progressions. 'Glad I stumbled onto your ideo!
MangoldProject alone?
ok, i like your teaching methods, yesterday i watched the diminished chords video, and i liked it a lot. Good job and keep them coming! il watch them all.
Thanks Pedro! I hope you enjoy them.
Very help full!!! Thanks! from Central America. Guatemala City!!
You're welcome, back from Rehovot, Israel :)
5:36 actually sounds good to me. You can look at it as a rootless G7 chord which then resolves to C. 5:54 also sounds good, you can still look at it as a rootless G7 chord with a 9 (the extension "9" is great in making chords jazzy) which then resolves to Cmaj7 (another jazzy chord). Just add a G note in the left hand, and you'll find it pleasant to hear.
Top stuff as always!
Wonderful ❤️
Thanks for this lesson I also liked the text display of the progression for us that can't read staff notation
My pleasure. The newer videos have these things now on a routine basis.
I think these lessons are the best on the net I'm a guitar player whos trying to learn piano and all of these lessons are interesting and very helpful in my music education thanks john galus
You're welcome John.
Awesome ... so simple... so many ways to see this... the secret is to learn the relationship between each note. Some people only see black and white notes. I see plenty of patterns. Ditones, tritones, thirds, sixths b7b5, #11, b9. I see 4ths and 5ths. I see clearly the shell of each chord. I see some stumble and struggle over some simple concept . Stop ,, it’s just that simple if you don’t overthink things. The real secret to advance your music proficiency is to learn the relationship of the 3rd and 7th notes of the 12 keys. I love R &B so I hear the min7b5 in the song Baby come to Me by Regina Belle
Great advice Patricia!!.Thanks!!❤
Your Audio is the Best 😁😁😁👌👌
I recorded these ideas into my notebook and will practice them. I very much appreciate your time and skill. :)
Why don't you have any videos uploaded, mate? Are you still at the beginning of your great journey of Music & Psychosis?
@@childofthesun32 You know, I probably should. It’d be a good exercise for me. :) Peace.
@@365daysofpractice I look forward to hearing them if you do upload stuff.
Excellent.
love these lovely chords your bringing out Bb9 and m7b5 wonderful, got another ?
Your D-7b5 is a dominant G7sus4b9 ( Phrygian #6) in your exemple. Half diminished is mostly used over a II progression or in out context. (locrian).
Mangoldddd I'm here again. I'll learn everything you've ever posted. I loveeee youuuuu. You'll be seeing me in all your videos
Merci beaucoup for this. You've answered many of my questions since I play this chord but always have asked why?
Thankyou! I noticed this in Sunflower by Rex Orange Country. So he uses m7b5 then to Maj7 chord a whole tone below, often. It sounds pleasantly smooth
literally described my childhood
4:26 #chills sooo amazing
honestly, I tend to hear this chord as a good chord to precede the major 5(V) chord before a minor 1(I). I tend to use it in a i- iv- VII- III-VI-ii (m7b5)-V-i progression, and it makes for a nice transition chord!
(or vi- ii- V-I-IV-vii (m7b5)-III(V/vi) -vi)
So it serves instead of a Neopolitan 6 :)
Awesome!!! Do you have a lesson on passing chords? Or how to walk the bass
It's not "mistaken for dissonance" it IS dissonant because it has a b5 (tritone) in it. Nonetheless I think it's a beautiful chord that I use fairly often as a passing harmony to create tension and release in my songs. Also works well as a passing chord for a modulation.
Wonderful! Can we get more of these chords in the future videos?
Will certainly do my best to showcase them more :)
Actually, my previous video on gospel piano has a Gm7b5 chord in it! Check it out here:
czcams.com/video/-WJvZjapgrk/video.html
I had a dream about this chord and my research brought me here. Sounds beautiful.
Starting out with classical guitar, I learned it as a half-diminished. Then discovered most of the jazz guys called it m7b5. Same church, different pew. lol
B Johnson The people calling it m7b5 are wrong and are idiots.
wow you guys really assumed a lot about each other just from the name of this chord
Sam Eash how is it wrong? It literally is a minor seventh chord, and the 5th is flattened.
I bet you think "power" is a type of chord as well, huh
To remember it easily , i call it diminished 7th, it has all the notes of a major 7th chord but they are all lowered one semi tone
it's from the Korgis 😊 I love that song!
oh shit that sounds awesome. i need to use this in my music
It kinda sounds a little bit like a Barry Manilow number or perhaps the "Piano Man" himself Billy Joel, but I can't place it. Sounds really cool though. New York Minute by Don Henley springs to mind.
Usually I heard from 90s song by Michael learns to rock now Ive know thanks
For a long time I would have written that progression at 2:47 as,
[ C, F, Fm⁶, C ]
I soon swapped that 'Fm⁶' for a 'Dø'.
[ Fm, Dø, C ] is my favourite voice leading; it resolves back into 'C' beautifully.
Awesome! Glad these lessons helped you out.
sounds very eltonjohnny)
Can you do a video on Major 7 flat 5 chords as used in the song “Come Back To Me” by Janet Jackson? No one has done this video on CZcams that I’m aware of. Thank you.
Agreed definitely a chord that's over looked. A good example is paranoid android by radiohead
The songs on my keyboard have the _ min 7b5 to a dominath 7 which is followed my a min chord, the a m6
yes I've only seldom used that chord on the guitar (not the easiest chord to play on that instrument) though I think it turns up as a chord substitution in Martin Taylor's arrangement of "I'm old fashioned" - used in quite a different way to the suggestions in the video.
Also a guitarist might play a similar chord to Am7b5
*x0554x* (A g c e-flat)
leading to a sort of D with a flat 9th:
*x5454x* (d f# c e-flat)
then to a G chord where the e-flat moves to 'd' finally
*35543x*
(my theory isn't good so hope that's clear)
It's really easy on guitar. Just do a maj7 bar chord starting on the 5th string, then move your first finger up one fret.
Actually on guitar there's a really easy position for m7b5. Even a noob like me knows it :)
MangoldProject I was thinking of ##7543 which isn't easy and is the equivalent if the chord you're playing on keyboard. Of course there are other positions, read my comment above...
I was more interested in the ways of using the chord than have people arguing with me about the guitar
xx0111= Dmflat5, xx1222=Ebmflat5, xx2333= Emflat5 etc.
Antony Bates yes I know that one & use it (also #5656# is easy enough) I was referring to the note order on the keyboard example I saw in the video
I take the minor 3rd and build its minor triad
Cm7b5
3rd is Eb
Make the Ebm triad over C
Ebm/C
Also try using the upper triad inversions as well
Every Bodies Gotta Learn Sometimes by the Korgis. And if that's the song you were thinking of, I bet you did not expect anyone to know it.
In a major key it makes more theoretical sense, at least to me, to play an Fm6/D (exact same notes as the Dm7b5) if I want to achieve the sound you're playing. I was taught to play the m7b5, on the other hand, as the iim7b5 in the ii-V-i progression.
According to Dizzy Gillespie, that's what he and Monk called the min7b5, and how they thought about it.
I've also seen the half-diminished chord used as a subdominant. Quite common in jazz. (e.g. II-7(b5), V7, I-)
Indeed.
Awesome
Thank you for the vid...b6 is the most common note for stealing the minor sound and using it in major. This gives us new forms of subdominant harmony, in this case, iv and ii°7 (half diminished), the Fm chord and the Dm half dimished are almost the same notes :) For the Ab you stole 2 notes from minor which makes a very big contrast and Dm7b5 after kind of functions as a dominant chord going back to C except you don't resolve the dimished 5th.... the last Dmb5 actually sounds better going to a C in 1st inversion :)
Would you use a natural 9th or a flat 9th on a minor 7 flat 5 chord? I tend to think the natural 9th sounds better but many people tend to use the locrian mode to play over this chord which has a flat 9th.
I'm with you about the natural 9 and like to associate it with the sixth mode of the melodic minor scale, aeolian b5 aka locrian #2
Very nice! And also it is possi le to play the 7 minor7 b5, 3 dominant and 6 minor. It is like a 2 minor 7 b5, 5 dominant 7 and 1minor.
Sir I've been watching all ur tutorials and it is the best piano tutorial that I found on the internet. I have a doubt, when A minor and C major scales have same notes, whats the point in having 2 scales?
pavan chandaluri they're different modes. Look up nodes and you'll see they sound very different to each other.
Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime that's the progression you were playing
I loved the video. but how is it that you you were able to sub the a flat for the major 4th chord, and the m7flat5 for the minor 4 chord. What made it work?
That's a very deep question. When you ask "what made it work", can you tell me what makes the simple basic 1->4->5->1 "work"? What sort of answer would satisfy you? I'm not being rude, I'm just pointing out that I'm not sure what your definition of "work" is.
I don't know why someone would ever bother showing something like this without explaining it, and then when someone asks they give some dodgy answer because perhaps they don't know why themselves. I'm pretty sure your question was how it functions harmonically ("works"), which to me was obvious since this video is about a given chord function and how it "works" in the first place. I don't think your question is esoteric, philosophical, or misunderstood, so I don't understand why the response you received had to be akin to that.
The Ab is a borrowed chord from the parallel C minor. Ab contains Ab, C, Eb. Fm contains F, Ab, C. These two chords contain two common tones: the Ab, and the C. The Ab chord can also be viewed as a rootless Fm7 chord (F, Ab, C, Eb), the minor iv chord.
The quick easy answer could be either that Ab is Fm7 (the iv chord) without the root, or you can relate this chord back to the parallel minor as a borrowed chord. Hope that wasn't too "deep" for you.
@@JH-xc4ur Lmaoooo. thank you for this!!
at 7:05 this is a great example of nice phrygian chord progression or do you consider it to be C or Am ? It sounds phrygian but without too much of the mediteranean feel to it
The m7(b5) chord is a sub for V7(b9), no root and a Modal Interchange chord.For that matter, ANY chord with Ab in it will do the job!
this is fire
4:38 Throw a C+ chord after that C chord and another C chord in there and you have a perfect resolution to that chord progression.
Great Video.
What I miss, is a bit of explanation to scale degrees context.
What the functionality of the 7 chord in major scale (half dim) in this case?
You are obviously not using it as a regular dominant to the tonic C, as you use use a different scale degree as half dim for the progression.
So again, why theoretically it sounds that good?
ori doron it's called harmonic major (IV -> iv substitution that is). iim7b5 - actually you hear a subdominant function, but technically the IV chord is replaced by diatonically relevant substitution a 3rd below.
Miss Tress Thanks for that.
Didn't you mean the Minor harmonic?
I actually understood its a susbstitiie for the minor 4th.
Maybe I'm looking for a wider/deeper explanation, like why the minor 4th (which supposed to be a major 4th in the major scale), can function as sub dominant in the major scale?
ori doron Google harmonic major.
It can be viewed as a Dom7 chord without the root. E.g., a G7 or G9, if you will, thinking of a Bm7b5. And, Dom chords don't have to resolve, though, inherently, they want to.
Guys, he is simply borrowing chords from the parallel mode (C minor).
It's called Modal Interchange!
You can easily notice that Fm, Dm7b5, Ab are all chords of C minor.
Don't be so uselessly tortuous if there's no need ;)
Some Harry Connick songs use this trick. I think this guys videos are very good.
Can you explain to me please where the Bb came from at 4:32ish when you are playing the right hand. The screen above also says a Bb is part of the Ab chord. Am I missing something here? I'm perplexed. Thanks.
At 4:19, when you played Ab Bb C Eb, you put the Chord as Ab........would it not be Ab9? Excellent video! Thanks for the upload.
The m7b5 is the second degree chord of the harmonic minor scale hence it implies minor tonality. I see you used F minor and Ab major, also the 4th degree and 6 degree chords of the harmonic minor scale, so really you are mixing together major and minor tonalities, which provide a distinct musical ambiguity, which is cool. The most frequent use in jazz though is surely as the 2 in a 2-5-1 in a minor key with the b5 of the 2 chord being retained in the dominant chord as a b9.
Hi there!
Does anyone know why the Ab works as the 2nd chord in the 1st chord progression ?
Big thanks!
Paul
I heard there was a secret chord 😲
I heard some geezer called Dave played it.
@@MrMikomi Hallelujah!
on 7:44 is this 7th chord progression: Em7 F F/d Dm/b to Ami
Can you explain why you can substitute the 4th minor chord for 2nd b5 please? it makes a great sound but I don't understand the theory as to why you can do this substitution. Thank you.
Ness Challis Believe it or not, you nailed it right on the head. It is simply because it sounds good. With experience, you'll be able to discern whether more complicated chord progressions sound good or not. Lots of jazz is trial and error. You remember which chords sound good, at least to you, and you toss out the sounds that don't. In doing so, you are also developing your own unique style in jazz, which is much better than copying off of someone else.
Hope this helps.
Amazing
Nice. So would you say all m7b5 chords can always resolve down a whole step to a major chord? As in your example Dm7b5 to C.
Yes, although be aware this might change the tonal center of your progression.
is there a video based on deciphering chord names yet because that seems interesting
Why, funny that you ask :) Check out my piano quickie series!
czcams.com/video/KoPAcVnAi68/video.html
In particular, check out the last lesson (#8).
I recognized that chord from the song "Isn't It a Pity" on George Harrison's "All things must Pass" album.
G - Isn't it a Pity ? - C#m7flat 5 - Isn't it a shame ?
Being mostly self taught i either don't know some things or i know them but don't know the names
This means you're at the right stage to start learning theory in a more ordered fashion.
MangoldProject pretty much
MangoldProject Perhaps. Think scale not chord and there are many scales that perfectly fit the musical context it is in. So... the inner voice will guide you what scale to use. And the chord is just the scale with added spaces here and there.
(fun fact: this is also used in the RWBY Vol.2 opening right before the V chord leading to the chorus!)
I was actually thinking of The Korgis' Everybody Has To Learn Sometime.
Half dim 7 can also be called m7b5, m7-5 or dim m7.
Sounds like that 90s jam "She's Homeless"
thank you. So b5 only works with minors and not majors?
Somebody can tell me,from wich mode comes this chord???.Thank you!!!❤
I think it could be called Maj7 b5 cause the m7 confuse reading and ppl might think: is it a minor seven?