Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Chord
A Seventh Flat Five Chord (A7♭5)
Edgy, symmetrical and jazzy. A dominant seventh with a lowered fifth, containing two tritones and sounding modern and unstable.
- A7♭5
- 4 notes
- x01023
1Composition: what it contains
A – C♯ – E♭ – G
- Symbol
- A7♭5
- Also written
- A7♭5, A7(♭5), A7-5
- Formula
- 1 3 ♭5 ♭7
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | unison | 0 |
| 3 | C♯ | major third | 4 |
| ♭5 | E♭ | diminished fifth | 6 |
| ♭7 | G | minor seventh | 10 |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
On the guitar
x01023open position
565685fret 5
xx7889fret 7
x-12-11-12-14-11fret 11On the ukulele
2334fret 2
6756fret 5
8-9-9-10fret 8On the piano
On the staff
On bass and as an arpeggio
3Indications: what it is used for
Used as an altered V7 in jazz, bebop and Latin jazz, and as a dominant built on the flat second in a tritone substitution (♭II7♭5–I), where its symmetrical tritones make it identical to the 7♭5 chord a tritone away. It also appears in French augmented-sixth harmony in classical music. The whole-tone scale, Lydian dominant (as ♯11) or the altered scale fits over it, depending on the other tensions. Because its two tritones are symmetrical, it sounds equally convincing from either root.
4Dosage: how to practise it
On guitar, learn the shapes rooted on the sixth string and fifth string, and notice that moving the shape six frets gives the same notes. On piano, play 1-3-♭5-♭7 in all inversions and practise ii7–V7♭5–Imaj7 and ii7–♭II7♭5–Imaj7 at 70–120 BPM. Arpeggiate 1-3-♭5-♭7. Five minutes daily, comparing with 7 and 7♯11. Improvise over it with the whole-tone scale and then with Lydian dominant. Practise tritone substitutions in all keys, playing the ♭5 shape and the substitute chord side by side so you hear that they are the same notes.
5Warnings and common mistakes
Do not confuse 7♭5 with m7♭5: the third is major here. Do not play the natural fifth together with the flat fifth. In a context with a natural fifth in the melody, write 7♯11 rather than 7♭5. Because of its symmetry, beginners mislabel its root; check the bass. The symbol '7-5' is ambiguous and can be misread; prefer 7♭5. On piano, avoid doubling the flat fifth.
6Interactions with chords, scales and keys
Inversions
- Inversion 1 · A7♭5/C♯ · C♯ – E♭ – G – A
- Inversion 2 · A7♭5/E♭ · E♭ – G – A – C♯
- Inversion 3 · A7♭5/G · G – A – C♯ – E♭
Scales to play over A7♭5
7Other presentations available
The same chord from every note
C7♭5 C♯7♭5 D7♭5 E♭7♭5 E7♭5 F7♭5 F♯7♭5 G7♭5 A♭7♭5 B♭7♭5 B7♭5
Other chords on A
A Am Adim Aaug Asus2 Asus4 A5 A6 Am6 A7 Amaj7 Am7 Am7♭5 Adim7 Am(maj7) A7sus4 Aadd9 Am(add9) A6/9 A9 Amaj9 Am9 A11 Am11 A13 A7♭9 A7♯9 A7♯5
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.