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Chord and Fret

F7(b5) — dominant seventh flat five

Notes in F7(b5): F – A – Cb – EbFormula: 1 – 3 – b5 – b7

In the formula, the numbers count steps of the major scale starting from the note that names the chord; "b" lowers a half step, "#" raises one — and a slash names the bass note.

Here the fifth drops a semitone and the chord turns ambiguous on purpose: the same four notes serve two distant dominants (C7(b5) and F#7(b5)). That coincidence is the door to the tritone substitution.

The same chord on all four instruments

F7(b5), 1 2 1 2 x 1F7(b5)12131FBEbA×F
Guitar
F7(b5), 1 2 1 2 x 1F7(b5)12131FBEbA×F
Electric guitar
F7(b5), 3 2 0 1F7(b5)321FABEb
Cavaquinho
F7(b5), 2 3 1 2F7(b5)2413AEbFB
Ukulele

Where to use it: Jazz, bossa and turnarounds — the natural step toward swapping one dominant for another.

This is just one shape of F7(b5). In Chord and Fret, you hear every shape strummed string by string, in each instrument's own voice; compare positions with their difficulty marked; and change the tuning — the shape rewrites itself. Start free. Unlock everything with Pro. Plays offline.

See the whole neck in Chord and Fret →

Part of the Sevenths family.

Other chords in this family

Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7F7F7F7F7Fm7Fm7Fm7Fm7Fm(maj7)Fm7(b5)Fdim7F7(#5)

See all chord types and qualities →