Useful voicings for your favorite m7b5 chord

[feloniuspunk]

The title of this thread is of course tongue in cheek. Cm7b5 is one of those chords that is rarely played, if at all, by most guitarists. Of course the more obscure they are the more I love chords like Cm7b5. I actually play several tunes in the key of Dbmaj where Cm7b5 comes into play quite a bit. I digress.

If you take the trouble to transpose this stuff presented here into other keys like E, A, D, G (the guitar keys), I think you'll find it quite useful. Remember that Cm7b5 can be thought of as a sub for Ebm6 and Ab7 too.

So there you have it. Transpose this stuff into the key of E for instance (everyone's favorite SRV key) and you have a lot of neat voicings for a B7 chord. Plus don't forget that anytime a B7 is called for you can also play the more obscure Gbm6 and Ebm7b5 chords in its place as well. (Don't want to make thing too easy now do we.)

Cm7b5 = C-Eb-Gb-Bb
E) - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gb
B) x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C
G) - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - Bb
D) x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Eb
A) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute

E) - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gb
B) - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - Eb
G) - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - Bb
D) - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - Gb
A) - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - C
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute

(Like the innards of an Ab7 chord)
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute
B) - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - Eb
G) - - - - x - - - - - - - - - - C
D) - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - Gb
A) - - - - - x - - - - - - - - - Eb
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute

E) - - - - - x - - - - - - - - - Bb
B) - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - Eb
G) - - - - x - - - - - - - - - - C
D) - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - Gb
A) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute

E) - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - C
B) - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - Gb
G) - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - Eb
D) - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - Bb
A) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute

(Like the innards of a Bbm9 chord)
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute
B) - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - C
G) - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - Gb
D) - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - Eb
A) - - - - - - - - - - - - x - - Bb
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute

(Top four look like Ab9 chord)
E) - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - Eb
B) - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - Bb
G) - - - - - - - - - - x - - - - Gb
D) - - - - - - - - - x - - - - - C
A) - - - - - - - - x - - - - - - Gb
E) - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - C

[feloniuspunk]

In songs in the key of Bb major you sometimes encounter Cm7b5 and F7b9 for a 2/5 turnaround. Here's a useful voicing for a Cm7b5-F7b9 combination:

Cm7b5
E) - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - C
B) - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - Gb
G) - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - Eb
D) - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - Bb
A) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute

F7b9
E) - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - C
B) - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - Gb
G) - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - Eb
D) - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - A
A) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute
E) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mute

Notice that only one note changes, the Bb to an A on the bottom string.

[irwcustom]

Cheers for that. The only way I could play the 2nd voicing was with the thumb on the C ..is that the correct way to play it. I still think I'll end up diving for the ole B7 when it come to it though:o

[Andrew]

Inverted chords are a sure-fire way to spice up any tune. I've got to start using them more often in my own work.

[ernojuhani]

For more sounds try to incorporate 11th, natural 2nd or even natural 13th to the voicing:

Cm11b5

E---F----
B------Eb
G----Bb-
D-----Gb
A--------
E--------

Cm9b5

E----Gb--
B------D-
G-----Bb-
D---Eb---
A-----(C)-
E---------

Cm13b5

E-----A
B---Eb-
G--Bb--
D---Gb-
A-------
E-------

Go ahead. Try it.

ej.