C#-7(b5b9) Half-Diminished

The C#-7(b5b9) chord is built from the notes C# – E – G – B – D.

Piano sound loads on first tap.

Also known as

C#-alt7b9C#m11b5b9b13C#m7(b5)b9C#m7b5b9C#mi7(b5b9)

Chord tones, one by one

C#Root

Root

The fundamental note the chord is built on — C#.

EThird

Minor third

Three semitones — makes the chord minor (darker, sadder).

GFifth

Diminished fifth (♭5)

Six semitones — a flat fifth. Creates instability, typical of m7♭5 and diminished chords.

BSeventh

Minor seventh (♭7)

Ten semitones — the dominant/minor seventh. Adds bluesy tension (7, m7).

DExtension

Flat ninth (♭9)

A ♭9 — sharp, dissonant tension typical of altered dominant chords.

🎼 Related scales

🎹 Modal analysis

This chord implies the Locrian scale; its characteristic note is the unstable ♭5.

🎸 Genres

Modern jazz · Post-bop · Fusion

-7(b5b9) in every key

More C# chords

More C# chords from Locrian