Chord · D Half-Diminished 7th (m7♭5)
Dm7♭5 Chord
Dm7♭5 is D, F, Ab and C — the ii in a minor ii-V-i.
Dm7♭5 on every instrument
The same 4 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What Dm7♭5 is made of
Dm7b5 (D half diminished seventh) is built from the notes D, F, Ab, C, with the interval pattern 1, b3, b5, b7.
Stack 1, b3, b5 and b7 on a root of D and you get D, F, Ab and C. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a half diminished seventh chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why Cm7♭5 sounds like a transposed Dm7♭5.
Half-Diminished 7th (m7♭5): The ii in a minor ii-V-i.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with A♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain Dm7♭5
All 4 notes sit inside the scale of 2 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Major keys
Minor keys
Other chords on D
Same root, different colour.
The same half diminished seventh shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about Dm7b5
- What notes are in the Dm7b5 chord?
- Dm7b5 is made of D, F, Ab and C — the 1, b3, b5 and b7 degrees of a half diminished seventh chord built on D.
- What keys use the Dm7b5 chord?
- Every note of Dm7b5 belongs to 2 keys: Eb Major (vii°), C Minor (ii°). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play Dm7b5 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows Dm7b5 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 9 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why Dm7♭5 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.