Am7♭5 chord on guitar
Am7♭5 is A, C, E♭ and G. The easiest shape is x-0-1-0-1-3. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.
x-0-1-0-1-3 · open · easy
- Notes
- A · C · E♭ · G
- Formula
- 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7
- First shape
- x-0-1-0-1-3
How to play Am7♭5 on guitar
Shape 1, x-0-1-0-1-3, reading from the low E string on the left:
- Index finger: D string, 1st fret (E♭).
- Middle finger: B string, 1st fret (C).
- Ring finger: high E string, 3rd fret (G).
- Let the open A and G strings ring (A and G).
- Don't play the low E string: start your strum on the A string.
- Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.
Other ways to play Am7♭5
- 5-x-5-5-4-x: movable shape at the 4th fret, medium. Root on the 6th string: move it up or down and it names a different half-diminished chord.
- x-12-13-12-13-x: movable shape at the 12th fret, medium. Root on the 5th string, so it pairs well with the 6th-string shape a few frets away.
- x-x-7-8-8-8: movable shape at the 7th fret, medium. A small shape for quick changes and a lighter sound.
Moving between Am7♭5 and its neighbours
Songs rarely hold Am7♭5 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.
- D7 (the iiø7 of a minor key heads to V7): Am7♭5 (x-0-1-0-1-3) to D7 (x-x-0-2-1-2): your index finger lands on the B string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the high E string, 2nd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. A and C carry over from one chord to the other. D7 on guitar
- B♭maj7 (I in B♭ major): Am7♭5 (x-0-1-0-1-3) to B♭maj7 (x-1-3-2-3-1): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the D string, 3rd fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 3rd fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. A carries over from one chord to the other. B♭maj7 on guitar
- Dm7 (iii in B♭ major): Am7♭5 (x-0-1-0-1-3) to Dm7 (x-x-0-2-1-1): your index finger lands on the B string, 1st fret, the middle finger slides across to the high E string at the same fret, the ring finger goes to the G string, 2nd fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. The two chords share A and C, which is why the change sounds smooth. Dm7 on guitar
Am7♭5 is a half-diminished chord (minor seventh flat five). Am7♭5 is the ii chord of a minor key, the first step of a minor ii–V–i. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.
A short Am7♭5 drill
Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: A, E♭, G, C, G. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Finish by moving between x-0-1-0-1-3 and 5-x-5-5-4-x to learn two positions of the same chord.
Where Am7♭5 shows up
Am7♭5 on piano and ukulele
Switching instruments? Try Am7♭5 on ukulele or Am7♭5 on piano, or compare them on the Am7♭5 chord page.
Next to try on guitar
Other half-diminished chords
Am7♭5 on guitar: questions
What notes are in Am7♭5 on guitar?
A, C, E♭ and G. In the x-0-1-0-1-3 shape the strings play A (A string, open), E♭ (D string), G (G string, open), C (B string) and G (high E string), so G is doubled.
What's the easiest way to play Am7♭5 on guitar?
x-0-1-0-1-3, the shape at the top of this page. No barre: some strings ring open.
Is Am7♭5 a barre chord on guitar?
Not in its common form: x-0-1-0-1-3 needs no barre.
Which string does Am7♭5 start on?
In the x-0-1-0-1-3 shape the lowest string you play is the A string, open, which is A, the root. Skip the low E string.
Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Am7♭5. Updated September 2026.