The C♭ Half Diminished chord is a four-note chord made up of C♭, E♭♭, G♭♭, and B♭♭. It is built from a root, minor third, diminished fifth, and minor seventh.
Construction
C♭ Half Diminished = Root + Minor 3rd + Diminished 5th + Minor 7th = C♭ · E♭♭ · G♭♭ · B♭♭
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| C♭ | Root | 1 |
| E♭♭ | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| G♭♭ | Diminished 5th | ♭5 |
| B♭♭ | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
C♭ Half Diminished 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 Half Diminished chord is built from symmetrical or ambiguous intervals, so it doesn’t belong to a single key and has no key signature of its own.
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♭ Half Diminished — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the C♭ Half Diminished chord on piano?
The C♭ Half Diminished chord contains the notes C♭ – E♭♭ – G♭♭ – B♭♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the Cb Half Diminished chord?
Cbm7b5 is enharmonic equivalent of Bm7b5. Same notes.
How does Cbm7b5 differ from Cbdim7?
Minor seventh vs diminished seventh.
How is Cbm7b5 used?
Musicians use Bm7b5 in practice.
What songs use Half Diminished?
Sound identical regardless of spelling.
How does Cbm7b5 differ from Cbm7?
Flatted fifth.
Is Cbm7b5 the same as Ebbm6?
Same notes enharmonically.