B flat half-diminished arpeggio on piano
The B flat half-diminished arpeggio (B♭m7(♭5)) has 4 notes: B♭, D♭, F♭, A♭ (B flat, D flat, F flat, and A flat), degrees 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7 of the chord. It uses 3 black keys: B♭, D♭, A♭.
- B♭ B flat 1
- D♭ D flat ♭3
- F♭ F flat ♭5
- A♭ A flat ♭7
F♭ is the correct spelling in the chord formula; on the instrument it is the same note as E.
The lit keys are the notes of the arpeggio, with the name and the degree; the root (B♭) has the strongest color. Tap a key to hear it; Listen plays up and down. The small dot marks middle C (C4).
Fingering
This page does not show a fingering. In piano methods the arpeggio fingering changes with the key (black keys move the thumb crossing) and with the hand, and no single rule covers every arpeggio here. Follow the one in your method book or from your teacher.
Formula
- B♭
- 3
- D♭
- 3
- F♭
- 4
- A♭
- 2
- B♭
Degrees: 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7 (root, minor third, diminished fifth, minor seventh). Distance between the notes: 3 – 3 – 4 – 2 semitones, counting the step back to the upper root.
About the half-diminished chord
The half-diminished chord sounds tense and unstable, but less harsh than the fully diminished one. It is the ii chord of a minor key (Bm7♭5 → E7 → Am) and the vii chord of a major key; common in jazz, bolero and romantic songs in minor keys.
The chord and the scale
- B flat half-diminished chord (B♭m7(♭5)) The chord on the keyboard, with its inversions
- A sharp Locrian scale The scale to practice with it: it has every note of the arpeggio plus the ones in between.
Other B flat scales with every note of the arpeggio
More B flat arpeggios
- Major (B♭)
- Minor (B♭m)
- Seventh (B♭7)
- Major seventh (B♭7M)
- Minor seventh (B♭m7)
- Half-diminished (B♭m7(♭5))
- Diminished seventh (B♭°7)
- Augmented (B♭+)
The half-diminished arpeggio in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the B flat half-diminished arpeggio?
The B flat half-diminished arpeggio (B♭m7(♭5)) has the notes B flat, D flat, F flat, and A flat: degrees 1, ♭3, ♭5, ♭7 of the chord.
How do you play the B flat half-diminished arpeggio on piano?
Start on B flat and go up through the keys B♭, D♭, F♭, A♭ to the B flat above; for two octaves, repeat the pattern one octave higher. It uses 3 black keys: B♭, D♭, A♭.
Which scale goes with the B flat half-diminished arpeggio?
The A sharp Locrian scale, which has every note of the arpeggio. These also have all of them: B flat blues scale and B flat dominant diminished (half-whole) scale.