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Chord & Fret

G7(b5) — dominant seventh flat five

Notes in G7(b5): G – B – Db – FFormula: 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

G7(b5), 3 4 3 4 x 3G7(b5)12131GDbFB×G
Guitar
G7(b5), 3 4 3 4 x 3G7(b5)12131GDbFB×G
Electric guitar
G7(b5), 5 4 2 3G7(b5)4312GBDbF
Cavaquinho
G7(b5), 0 1 1 2G7(b5)112GDbFB
Ukulele

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

This is just one shape of G7(b5). In Chord & Fret, you check it note by note, playing any shape as an arpeggio; open every variation on the neck, grouped by bass note; and change the tuning — the shape rewrites itself. Start free. Unlock everything with Pro. Plays offline.

See the whole neck in Chord & Fret →

Part of the Sevenths family.

Other chords in this family

Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7G7G7G7G7Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm(maj7)Gm7(b5)Gdim7G7(#5)

See all chord types and qualities →