The C♭ 7♭5 chord is a four-note chord made up of C♭, E♭, G♭♭, and B♭♭. It is built from a root, major third, diminished fifth, and minor seventh.
Construction
C♭ 7♭5 = Root + Major 3rd + Diminished 5th + Minor 7th = C♭ · E♭ · G♭♭ · B♭♭
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| C♭ | Root | 1 |
| E♭ | Major 3rd | 3 |
| G♭♭ | Diminished 5th | ♭5 |
| B♭♭ | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
C♭ 7♭5 Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | C♭ – E♭ – G♭♭ – B♭♭ |
| 1st Inversion | E♭ – G♭♭ – B♭♭ – C♭ |
| 2nd Inversion | G♭♭ – B♭♭ – C♭ – E♭ |
| 3rd Inversion | B♭♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭♭ |
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the C♭ 7♭5 is the tonic (I) chord of Cb Major, whose key signature has 7 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭).
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭
Order of flats
Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭
Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
Chords in the Key of C♭ Major
These are the triads built on each degree of the C♭ major scale:
Same Notes, Other Names
The notes C♭ – E♭ – G♭♭ – B♭♭ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:
C♭ 7♭5 — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the C♭ 7♭5 chord on piano?
The C♭ 7♭5 chord contains the notes C♭ – E♭ – G♭♭ – B♭♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the Cb 7♭5 chord?
The Cb 7♭5 chord (Cb7♭5) contains 4 notes: Cb, E, Gb, Bb. Formula: R-M3-d5-m7.
How is Cb7♭5 used in music?
Cb7♭5 is used in jazz, fusion, and contemporary music to add harmonic color. It appears as a dominant or tonic chord depending on context.
What is the scale degree formula for Cb7♭5?
Cb7♭5 uses scale degrees 1-3-b5-b7, giving it its distinctive sound.