What notes are in an E half-diminished chord?

E half-diminished contains four notes: E (root), G (minor third), B♭ (diminished fifth), and D (minor seventh).

How does Em7♭5 resolve?

In D minor: Em7♭5 → A7 → Dm. The chord prepares the dominant A7, which then resolves to the Dm tonic.

Is Em7♭5 the same as Em7?

No — different chords. Em7 (E-G-B-D) has a perfect fifth; Em7♭5 (E-G-B♭-D) lowers that fifth a half step, producing the half-diminished colour and the iiø7 function in D minor.

Where does E half-diminished appear in music?

In D-minor cadences throughout classical and jazz literature: Bach's D-minor works, Miles Davis's "Solar," "Stella by Starlight," and any standard with a D-minor turnaround.

E half-diminished chord — notes, intervals, and practice

E half-diminished (Em7♭5 or Eø) — E, G, B♭, D — is the iiø7 of D minor, one of the most common minor keys in classical and jazz music. The chord shows up at every D-minor cadence in standard repertoire — Bach's D-minor toccatas, Mozart's K. 397 Fantasia, countless jazz tunes.

Intervals

The E half-diminished chord stacks two thirds on the root. Each interval and its size in semitones:

E→Gminor 3rd3 semitones
G→Bbminor 3rd3 semitones
Bb→Dmajor 3rd4 semitones

On the keyboard

Each note of the E half-diminished chord highlighted on a piano. Pitch class is what matters — any octave works.

On the guitar

One voicing of the E half-diminished chord on a six-string guitar fretboard.

Common mistakes

Em7♭5 has E-G-B♭-D. The flat fifth (B♭) is what distinguishes it from Em7 (which has B natural). The natural seventh (D) distinguishes it from Em6 (which would have a different fifth). The chord sits comfortably under the hand on piano: E-G-B♭ is white-white-black, plus D on top.

In context

Em7♭5 → A7 → Dm is the ii–V–i in D minor — the cadence in every D-minor jazz standard. "Solar" (Miles Davis) opens with exactly this chord. Bach's D-minor Toccata and Fugue uses Em7♭5 as a primary cadential preparation.

Drill it

The E half-diminished chord is one of 48 in the Chord Trainer. Open the full trainer to practice it alongside related chords with timing and best-time tracking.

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Frequently asked

What notes are in an E half-diminished chord?: E half-diminished contains four notes: E (root), G (minor third), B♭ (diminished fifth), and D (minor seventh).
How does Em7♭5 resolve?: In D minor: Em7♭5 → A7 → Dm. The chord prepares the dominant A7, which then resolves to the Dm tonic.
Is Em7♭5 the same as Em7?: No — different chords. Em7 (E-G-B-D) has a perfect fifth; Em7♭5 (E-G-B♭-D) lowers that fifth a half step, producing the half-diminished colour and the iiø7 function in D minor.
Where does E half-diminished appear in music?: In D-minor cadences throughout classical and jazz literature: Bach's D-minor works, Miles Davis's "Solar," "Stella by Starlight," and any standard with a D-minor turnaround.