Play the 7♭5 chord on guitar

The 7♭5 chord is a dominant chord with a diminished fifth. This alteration creates a darker sound and can serve as a tritone substitution.

Chord composition

IIII♭V♭VII
RootMajor thirdDiminished fifthMinor seventh
04610

Formula 1 - 3 - ♭5 - ♭7

Theory

The 7♭5 chord lowers the fifth by a semitone. C7♭5 = C-E-G♭-B♭, G7♭5 = G-B-D♭-F. The diminished fifth reinforces the tritone tension. This chord shares the same tritone (third-seventh) as the dominant chord a tritone higher, allowing common tritone substitutions in jazz.

Play the 7♭5 chord on the guitar

The 7♭5 chord positions on guitar

Styles

Jazz Bebop Fusion Blues

Construction

Formula 1 - 3 - 5b - 7b: dominant with diminished fifth. Maximum tension, bebop.

How to play

Bebop, tritone substitution. Alt dominant. Chromatic resolutions.

Learning

Tritone substitutions. Bebop lines. Altered resolutions.