The chord that comes 7th in a key!

[Amazoman]

Happy new year to you all!. Before I posted here I searched google but it always thought I was asking about a 7th chord eg C7 etc. My question is what is the correct terminology for a chord that comes 7th in a key. I have heard it called diminished, half diminished and minor 7 flat 5. So which is it ?

[stewblack]

I always thought it was half diminished.

[paul_5]

Technically it’s a minor 7 flat 5. 

[philparker]

As above. Technically it is called a minor 7 flat 5, and some people refer to a min7b5 as a half diminished.

 

Some people refer to it as diminished because they are talking about triad chords, which don't contain the 7th, (a diminished chord has a double flat 7th - bb7) however, for our intents and purposes as bass players it is half diminished.

[Bilbo]

Often, chord names are transferrable and a m7b5 and a half diminished are the same thing, just referred to in different ways like a shovel and a spade or a hatchet and an axe. What is more important is the function of the chord in the context in which it is being used. If it is functioning as the seventh chord in major chord scale, I would call it a m7b5. In truth, it probably only matters what it sounds like, not what it is called.

[stewblack]

A shovel is different from a spade. Otherwise I agree with @Bilbo

(winky smiley denoting humour)

[Bilbo]

3 hours ago, stewblack said:

A shovel is different from a spade. Otherwise I agree with @Bilbo

(winky smiley denoting humour)

I could hit you around the back of the head with both and see if you can tell the difference 😆

[Amazoman]

Thanks to all who have replied. So when I get into debate with the guitarist I can now tell him the reasons why it is called what it is. lol

[ezbass]

On 27/12/2024 at 14:28, Amazoman said:

Before I posted here I searched google but it always thought I was asking about a 7th chord eg C7 etc.

What we often refer to as a 7th is a dominant 7th and is the 5th chord in the scale. The correct description of the 7th chord in a scale is given above.