The Am7b5 chord (also called A half-diminished) doesn’t show up in every tune—but when it does, it’s essential. Most often, you’ll find it right at the beginning of a minor ii–V–I progression, and it serves as a great entry point into more advanced jazz harmony and improvisation.
In this lesson, I’ll walk you through the chord voicing I use most, how to recognize it in lead sheets, where to use it in a progression, and how to start soloing over it with a one-octave scale and a melodic line you can plug right into your playing.
Am7b5 Guitar Chord Shape (Root on the 6th String)
This shape gives you a clean, compact voicing of Am7b5 that you can move around the neck. Here’s how it’s built:
- Root on the 6th string (use your middle finger)
- ♭7 on the 4th string (ring finger)
- ♭3 on the 3rd string (pinky)
- ♭5 on the 2nd string (index finger)
Once you learn this shape, you can move it to any key. For example:
- 5th fret = Am7b5
- 3rd fret = Gm7b5
- 7th fret = Bm7b5
Learning the notes on your 6th string is key to using this voicing fluently across all keys.
What Does Am7b5 Mean?
The Am7b5 chord is shorthand for A minor 7 flat 5 — a chord built from:
- Root
- ♭3
- ♭5
- ♭7
It’s also known as A half-diminished, which you’ll often see written as Aø7. Both chord symbols mean the same thing:
- Am7♭5 = spelled-out chord formula
- Aø7 = shorthand from the days of handwritten big band charts
Different charts and tools will use different symbols. For example, iReal Pro tends to use the “ø” symbol, while the Real Book prefers “m7♭5.” It’s worth being able to recognize both so you’re not caught off guard.
Where Am7b5 Shows Up: The Minor ii–V–I
Am7b5 typically shows up as the ii chord in a minor ii–V–I progression. Here’s a common example in the key of G minor:
- ii = Am7b5
- V = D7♯9 (or another altered dominant)
- i = Gm7
A few quick rules of thumb:
- The ii chord is almost always a m7b5
- The V chord is almost always altered (♯9, ♭9, ♯5, etc.)
- The i chord is usually a minor 7, though sometimes it’s a minor/major 7
This progression is where you’ll see Am7b5 the most, so it’s worth getting under your fingers and into your ears.
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One-Octave Locrian Scale for Am7b5
To solo over Am7b5, I recommend starting with a simple one-octave A Locrian scale. Locrian is the 7th mode of the major scale and matches the chord tones of m7b5 chords.
Here’s the note sequence:
A – B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F – G – A
That gives you:
- Root
- ♭2
- ♭3
- 4
- ♭5
- ♭6
- ♭7
- Root
This scale is full of tension and fits the half-diminished sound perfectly. Focus on hearing the difference it brings and start creating small melodic ideas with it.
Picking Pattern for the Locrian Scale
If you’re working through this Locrian shape, I suggest a simple alternate picking approach — but don’t be afraid to use repeated pick strokes in the same direction when crossing strings. It smooths things out and keeps your right hand relaxed.
This is especially helpful when playing arpeggios or tight one-octave patterns where everything lives in a small space on the neck.
A Minor ii–V–I Line with Am7b5
Here’s a melodic line built from:
- The Am7b5 arpeggio
- A bit of the D7♯9 altered scale
- A smooth resolution into Gm7
This line gives you a real-world example of how to use the Am7b5 chord in context—not just theory, but a phrase you can start playing and adapting right now.
You’ll hear how the voice leading works: half-step and whole-step motion that flows naturally from one chord to the next, ending with a satisfying resolution on Gm7.
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