G♭ Half Diminished
Also Known As
Hear the G♭ Half Diminished chord played for you.
G♭ø7
G♭ – A – C – E
Formula:R-m3-d5-m7
Intervals:P1-m3-d5-m7
Scale Degrees:1-b3-b5-b7
Introduction
The G♭ Half Diminished chord is a four-note chord made up of G♭, A, C, and E. It is built from a root, minor third, diminished fifth, and minor seventh.
The Gb Half Diminished piano chord (Gbm7b5) consists of the notes Gb, A, C, E. 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
G♭ Half Diminished Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | G♭ – A – C – E |
| 1st Inversion | A – C – E – G♭ |
| 2nd Inversion | C – E – G♭ – A |
| 3rd Inversion | G♭ – A – C – E |
Key Signature
The key of Gb Half Diminished has 6 flats.
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭
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 G♭ Major
These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the G♭ major scale:
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
I — G♭ Major (major)
Theory: Intervals
Formula: R-m3-d5-m7
Intervals: P1-m3-d5-m7
The G♭ 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.
G♭ Half Diminished — Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the Gb Half Diminished chord?
Gbm7b5 contains: Gb, Bbb, Dbb, Fb. Enharmonic of F#m7b5.
How does Gbm7b5 differ from Gbdim7?
Minor seventh vs diminished seventh.
How is Gbm7b5 used?
F#m7b5 more commonly written.
What songs use Half Diminished?
Jazz minor-key harmony.
How does Gbm7b5 differ from Gbm7?
Flatted fifth.
Is Gbm7b5 the same as Bbbm6?
Same notes, different root.
Practice Tips
- Gbm7b5 and F#m7b5 enharmonic.
- Translate to F#m7b5.
- Compare with Gbdim7.
- Jazz vocabulary.
- The flatted fifth creates tension.
- Enharmonic fluency.
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.