Guitar · Half-diminished chord

D#m7b5 Half-diminished

Key: E Major
Easy

D#m7b5 is the D# half-diminished chord on guitar, made of the notes D# · F# · A · C#.

Position 1 of 3Main

Notes

D#
F#
A
C#

Structure

1
♭3
♭5
♭7

Sound: Half-diminished (m7♭5); Dark, jazzy
Harmonic function: Dominant; Creates tension that resolves to the tonic.

Harmonic field of E Major

Degree	Chord	Function
I	E	Tonic
ii	F#m	Subdominant
iii	G#m	Tonic relative
IV	A	Subdominant
V	B	Dominant
vi	C#m	Tonic relative
vii°	D#dim	Dominant

How to play

1Place your index finger on fret 1 of string 4.
2Place your middle finger on fret 2 of string 3.
3Place your middle finger on fret 2 of string 2.
4Place your middle finger on fret 2 of string 1.
5Don't play strings 6, 5.
6Strum from string 4 down.