half diminished chord generator
Build and Hear Half-Diminished Chords
A half-diminished seventh combines a diminished triad with a minor seventh. Its last tone is ten semitones above the root, unlike the nine-semitone diminished seventh. The symbols m7-flat5 and ø7 describe this quality.
Start with C: C · E♭ · G♭ · B♭. Select another root to transpose the same formula, choose a voicing and press Play chord. Each note also has its own listening button. Audio begins only after a click; there is no camera or microphone request.
Play the instrument ↑- Chord formula
- 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7
- Semitone offsets
- 0 · 3 · 6 · 10
- C example
- C · E♭ · G♭ · B♭
- Reference tuning
- Equal temperament · A4 = 440 Hz
The half-diminished formula
A half-diminished seventh combines a diminished triad with a minor seventh. Its last tone is ten semitones above the root, unlike the nine-semitone diminished seventh. The symbols m7-flat5 and ø7 describe this quality.
The formula 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7 describes intervals from the selected root. The C example is C · E♭ · G♭ · B♭; these are 4 separate chord tones. A root change transposes the entire collection, while a voicing change rearranges the same pitch classes.
- Degree 1: 0 semitones above the root.
- Degree 3: 3 semitones above the root.
- Degree 5: 6 semitones above the root.
- Degree 7: 10 semitones above the root.
Keep the minor seventh over a diminished triad
Choose B and hear B-D-F-A. Compare the fully diminished version B-D-F-A-flat. Listen to the last note and keep the diminished triad unchanged.
The Compare diminished seventh button keeps the selected root and root octave, and uses the comparison chord in root position. Set this chord to root position too for the clearest quality comparison. Use headphones or a quiet room and keep your listening volume comfortable.
Read the bass before naming an inversion
Root position starts on degree 1. First inversion starts on degree 3; second inversion starts on degree 5. Third inversion starts on degree 7. The slash label shows the sounding bass and the displayed MIDI values let you verify its pitch.
Inversions preserve the root and quality. This tool raises rotated notes by an octave so the selected bass is the lowest note. For an added ninth, the inversion examples use a close pitch-class voicing; root position retains the compound ninth. These are reference voicings, not the only musical arrangements.
Use Bm7-flat5 as a diatonic seventh-chord reference in C major. Compare root position and third inversion to see the minor seventh in the bass.
Connect the reference to gesture playing
The webcam quality controls do not directly select half-diminished sevenths. Use this reference to hear the distinction from its supported diminished-seventh colour.
The chord laboratory uses buttons and menus for direct note selection. The main gesture instrument uses webcam recognition and has its own supported chord controls. Open that instrument when you want live two-hand performance; the sound and voicing need not match this sine-wave reference exactly.
Spelling, playback and export limits
Half-diminished does not mean a smaller volume or an incomplete triad. It is a four-tone chord with a specific seventh.
Note names preserve the chosen root letter and chord degrees. A sharp, flat or double flat may sound the same as a simpler enharmonic name in equal temperament. The tool keeps the theoretical spelling while MIDI numbers show the actual sounding pitches.
The WAV download is a 2.4-second, mono, 44.1 kHz synthesized chord with a short fade. It contains the currently displayed voicing, not the comparison chord, a melody, a guitar fingering or an automatic chord progression. Stop sound cancels playback; Reset returns to C in octave 3 and root position.
Answers before you play
Half-Diminished Chord Questions
What notes are in C half-diminished?
C · E♭ · G♭ · B♭. Their semitone offsets from C are 0, 3, 6, 10. The displayed spelling follows the formula 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7.
How is this different from diminished seventh?
Choose B and hear B-D-F-A. Compare the fully diminished version B-D-F-A-flat. Listen to the last note and keep the diminished triad unchanged. The two generators share playback controls but use different interval formulas and note collections.
Can I use this without a webcam?
Yes. This chord tool needs no camera, microphone or account. The webcam quality controls do not directly select half-diminished sevenths. Use this reference to hear the distinction from its supported diminished-seventh colour.
Why is an enharmonic note spelled with a sharp or flat?
Chord degrees determine note letters. A theoretically correct spelling may include two accidentals even when a simpler name has the same MIDI pitch. Playback uses equal temperament at A4 = 440 Hz.
What can I do if sound is unavailable?
Check the tab's sound setting and your output device, then press Play chord again. The notes and local WAV download work independently of real-time playback. The page reports a Web Audio error rather than requesting microphone access.