A♯ half-diminished 7th chord on piano
A♯m7♭5 is a half-diminished 7th chord built on A♯. It uses the notes A♯ - C♯ - E - G♯ and sounds moody and searching; it often leads to a dominant chord. It is also written as B♭ half-diminished 7th.
- Notes
- A♯ C♯ E G♯
- Formula
- 1 - ♭3 - ♭5 - ♭7
- Right hand fingering
- 1 - 2 - 3 - 5
- Left hand fingering
- 5 - 3 - 2 - 1
- Chord symbol
- A♯m7♭5
How to play A♯m7♭5 step by step
- Find A♯. A♯ is the last black key in each group of three. The same key is also called B♭.
- Add C♯, 3 half steps above A♯.
- Add E, 6 half steps above A♯.
- Add G♯, 10 half steps above A♯.
- Press all 4 keys together with fingers 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 of your right hand. Keep your wrist level and let the weight of your arm do the work.
A♯m7♭5 inversions
An inversion uses the same notes in a different order. Inversions let your hand move less between chords, which is how pianists make chord changes sound smooth.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A♯ half-diminished 7th chord?
The A♯ half-diminished 7th chord (A♯m7♭5) contains 4 notes: A♯, C♯, E, G♯. Its formula is 1 - ♭3 - ♭5 - ♭7.
How do you play A♯m7♭5 on piano?
Put your right-hand thumb on A♯ and play A♯, C♯, E, G♯ together using fingers 1 - 2 - 3 - 5. With the left hand, use fingers 5 - 3 - 2 - 1.
Is A♯ half-diminished 7th the same as B♭ half-diminished 7th?
Yes. A♯ half-diminished 7th and B♭ half-diminished 7th use exactly the same piano keys. The name you see depends on the key signature of the piece.