E♭ Half Diminished
Also Known As
Hear the E♭ Half Diminished chord played for you.
E♭ø7
E♭ – G♭ – A – D♭
Formula:R-m3-d5-m7
Intervals:P1-m3-d5-m7
Scale Degrees:1-b3-b5-b7
Introduction
The E♭ Half Diminished chord is a four-note chord made up of E♭, G♭, A, and D♭. It is built from a root, minor third, diminished fifth, and minor seventh.
The Eb Half Diminished piano chord (Ebm7b5) consists of the notes Eb, Gb, A, Db. It is a diminished triad with an added minor 7th, giving it a dark, moody, and tense character commonly used in jazz and minor key progressions. Formula: R-m3-d5-m7 | Scale degrees: 1-b3-b5-b7.
Notes
E♭ Half Diminished Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | Eb – Gb – A – Db |
| 1st Inversion | Gb – A – Db – Eb |
| 2nd Inversion | A – Db – Eb – Gb |
| 3rd Inversion | Eb – Gb – A – Db |
Key Signature
The key of Eb Half Diminished has 3 flats.
B♭E♭A♭
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 Eb Major
These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the Eb major scale:
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
I — E♭ Major (major)
Theory: Intervals
Formula: R-m3-d5-m7
Intervals: P1-m3-d5-m7
The E♭ Half Diminished is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula R-m3-d5-m7 describes the scale degrees used. The intervals P1-m3-d5-m7 show the distance between each note in the chord.
E♭ Half Diminished — Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the Eb Half Diminished chord?
Ebm7b5 contains: Eb, Gb, Bbb, Db. Diminished triad with minor seventh.
How does Ebm7b5 differ from Ebdim7?
Minor seventh (Db) vs diminished seventh (Dbb/C).
How is Ebm7b5 used?
ii chord in Db minor.
What songs use Half Diminished?
Jazz minor-key harmony.
How does Ebm7b5 differ from Ebm7?
Flatted fifth (Bbb vs Bb).
Is Ebm7b5 the same as Gbm6?
Same notes, different root.
Practice Tips
- Minor-key ii–V–i: Ebm7b5 → Ab7 → Dbm.
- Compare with Ebdim7 and Ebm7.
- Ebm7b5 and Gbm6 same notes.
- Essential jazz vocabulary.
- The flatted fifth creates tension.
- All flats.
Related Tools
Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.