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E Half-Diminished 7th Chord
The E Half-Diminished 7th Chord is E, G, B-flat, and D, with the one black key under the third finger. That B-flat is what separates it from E minor 7th, and it's where the darker, more searching quality comes from. Let's keep the third finger slightly forward so it reaches the black key easily.
How to play the E Half-Diminished 7th Chord on the piano
Let’s go through some charts that will familiarize you with the E Half-Diminished 7th Chord and how to play it in the various forms you will encounter in pieces of music. First, we’ll look at the fundamental chord and its inversions; then, we’ll explore some more complex voicings.
The E Half-Diminished 7th Chord in root position
In root position, the notes of the E half-diminished 7th chord are stacked in thirds with E on the bottom. The appearance on the staff is evenly spaced, as is the feeling of the space in between your fingers while playing.
| E Half-Diminished 7th Chord in root position | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | E G B♭ D |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | Em7♭5 or Eø7 |
The E Half-Diminished 7th Chord in first inversion
In first inversion, the third of the chord (G) becomes the bottom note, and the root (E) jumps up to the top.
| E Half-Diminished 7th Chord in 1st inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | G B♭ D E |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 4 5 |
| Chord Symbol | Eø6/5 or Em7♭5/G |
The E Half-Diminished 7th Chord in second inversion
In second inversion, the fifth of the chord (B♭) is on the bottom, and the third of the chord (G) goes to the top.
| E Half-Diminished 7th Chord in 2nd inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | B♭ D E G |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | Eø4/3 or Em7♭5/B♭ |
The E Half-Diminished 7th Chord in third inversion
In third inversion, the seventh of the chord (D) is on the bottom, and the fifth of the chord (B♭) goes to the top.
| E Half-Diminished 7th Chord in 3rd inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | D E G B♭ |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 4 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | Eø4/2 or Em7♭5/D |
E Half-Diminished 7th Chord theory and function
The half-diminished 7th is a diminished triad with a minor seventh, and it is a softer kind of tension than the fully diminished chord. It is the ii chord of minor keys and the vii chord of major keys, and it usually leads to a dominant.
The E half-diminished 7th chord is the leading-tone chord (viiø7) in F major. In minor keys, it is the supertonic (iiø7) in D minor.
The pattern to know is ii – V – i in a minor key. In D minor that is Eø7 – A7 – Dm. The notes are also a minor 6th chord in inversion: Eø7 contains the same four notes as Gm6, which is why theory books sometimes describe it as a minor triad with an added sixth. Try playing Eø7 and then E°7: the two chords differ by a single note, and it is worth hearing how much that one half step changes.
Other chords built on E
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