Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Chord
F Seventh Flat Five Chord (F7♭5)
Edgy, symmetrical and jazzy. A dominant seventh with a lowered fifth, containing two tritones and sounding modern and unstable.
- F7♭5
- 4 notes
- 101201
1Composition: what it contains
F – A – C♭ – E♭
- Symbol
- F7♭5
- Also written
- F7♭5, F7(♭5), F7-5
- Formula
- 1 3 ♭5 ♭7
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | unison | 0 |
| 3 | A | major third | 4 |
| ♭5 | C♭ | diminished fifth | 6 |
| ♭7 | E♭ | minor seventh | 10 |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
On the guitar
101201open position
xx3445fret 3
x-8-7-8-10-7fret 7
13-12-13-14-12-xfret 12On the ukulele
4310open position
4556fret 4
8978fret 7On 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 · F7♭5/A · A – C♭ – E♭ – F
- Inversion 2 · F7♭5/C♭ · C♭ – E♭ – F – A
- Inversion 3 · F7♭5/E♭ · E♭ – F – A – C♭
Scales to play over F7♭5
7Other presentations available
The same chord from every note
C7♭5 C♯7♭5 D7♭5 E♭7♭5 E7♭5 F♯7♭5 G7♭5 A♭7♭5 A7♭5 B♭7♭5 B7♭5
Other chords on F
F Fm Fdim Faug Fsus2 Fsus4 F5 F6 Fm6 F7 Fmaj7 Fm7 Fm7♭5 Fdim7 Fm(maj7) F7sus4 Fadd9 Fm(add9) F6/9 F9 Fmaj9 Fm9 F11 Fm11 F13 F7♭9 F7♯9 F7♯5
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.