Em7♭5 chord on guitar

Em7♭5 is E, G, B♭ and D. The easiest shape is 0-1-0-0-3-0. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

0-1-0-0-3-0 · open · easy

Notes: E · G · B♭ · D
Formula: 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7
First shape: 0-1-0-0-3-0

How to play Em7♭5 on guitar

Shape 1, 0-1-0-0-3-0, reading from the low E string on the left:

Index finger: A string, 1st fret (B♭).
Middle finger: B string, 3rd fret (D).
Let the open low E, D, G and high E strings ring (E, D, G and E).

If an open string sounds dead, a fingertip is leaning on it. Come down more on the tips, with your knuckles bent.

Other ways to play Em7♭5

12-x-12-12-11-x: movable shape at the 11th fret, medium. Root on the 6th string: move it up or down and it names a different half-diminished chord.
x-7-8-7-8-x: movable shape at the 7th fret, medium. The root is on the A string; it's the Am7♭5 shape moved up the neck.
x-x-14-15-15-15: movable shape at the 14th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.

Changing from Em7♭5 to the chords around it

These are the changes you'll meet most often with Em7♭5, using the first shape of each chord.

A7 (the iiø7 of a minor key heads to V7): Em7♭5 (0-1-0-0-3-0) to A7 (x-0-2-0-2-0): your index finger lands on the D string, 2nd fret, your middle finger lands on the B string, 2nd fret. The two chords share E and G, which is why the change sounds smooth. A7 on guitar
Fmaj7 (I in F major): Em7♭5 (0-1-0-0-3-0) to Fmaj7 (x-x-3-2-1-0): the index finger goes to the B string, 1st fret, the middle finger goes to the G string, 2nd fret, the ring finger comes down on the D string, 3rd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. E carries over from one chord to the other. Fmaj7 on guitar
Am7 (iii in F major): Em7♭5 (0-1-0-0-3-0) to Am7 (x-0-2-0-1-0): the index finger goes to the B string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the D string, 2nd fret. Listen for E and G, which stay put while the rest moves. Am7 on guitar

Em7♭5 is a half-diminished chord (minor seventh flat five). Em7♭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.

Getting Em7♭5 under your fingers

Before strumming, play 0-1-0-0-3-0 note by note: E then B♭ then D then G then D then E. A dead note tells you exactly which finger to fix. Then switch to 12-x-12-12-11-x and back four times without looking at your hand.

Em7♭5 in context

Em7♭5 on piano and ukulele

Switching instruments? Try Em7♭5 on ukulele or Em7♭5 on piano, or compare them on the Em7♭5 chord page.

Related E chords on guitar

Other half-diminished chords

Em7♭5 on guitar: questions

What notes are in Em7♭5 on guitar?

E, G, B♭ and D. In the 0-1-0-0-3-0 shape the strings play E (low E string, open), B♭ (A string), D (D string, open), G (G string, open), D (B string) and E (high E string, open), so E and D are doubled.

What's the easiest way to play Em7♭5 on guitar?

0-1-0-0-3-0, shape 1 above. It uses open strings, so there is no barre to press.

Is Em7♭5 a barre chord on guitar?

Not usually: 0-1-0-0-3-0 needs no barre.

Which string does Em7♭5 start on?

In the 0-1-0-0-3-0 shape the lowest string you play is the low E string, open, which is E, the root.

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Em7♭5. Updated September 2026.