What Are M7b5 Arpeggios, Learn to Build and recognize m7b5 Arpeggios Options

[The Professor]

How to Build m7b5 Arpeggios

In today’s theory lesson, we’ll be looking at a commonly used melodic device, the m7b5 Arpeggio, and two different ways that you can use triads and scales to build this arpeggio.

The first way that you can build a m7b5 arpeggio, is by taking a Diminished Triad (More on those triads here in the What Are Diminished Triads lesson) and adding a b7 to that 3-note chord.

Diminished triads have a 1-b3-b5 interval pattern, and m7b5 Arpeggios use those same three notes, but with a b7 added on top, to form the interval pattern 1-b3-b5-b7.

Here is how those two devices look when presented side-by-side on the staff and in tab.






As well, you can use the Locrian Scale to build a m7b5 Arpeggio by taking the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th note of that scale and creating a four-note arpeggio with those notes.

Here is that process on paper for a visual reference. Notice that the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th notes of the Locrian Scale, C-Eb-Gb-Bb, are the same four notes that build a Cm7b5 arpeggio in the next bar of the example.

Test Your Theory Knowledge!

Now that you have learned how to build m7b5 Arpeggios, try writing out a number of them in the comments section below to get some practice with these shapes.

If you write out some, or all, of the different m7b5 Arpeggios I’ll be happy to look over your work and make sure you’re on the right track.


Have a question or comment about m7b5 Arpeggios? Post it below.

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This post has been edited by The Professor: Apr 7 2013, 02:09 PM

[jstcrsn]

don't have time right now to right them out, but as soon as I read the arp description, I knew the intervals
see, despite what Kris says your having an impact

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[The Professor]

don't have time right now to right them out, but as soon as I read the arp description, I knew the intervals
see, despite what Kris says your having an impact

Thanks man, glad you are digging the lessons and finding them helpful!

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[korblitz]

Have to catch a train...maybe I'll work on them while on the train..

Digging this lessons and the ones over at |Guitar World|

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[The Professor]

Have to catch a train...maybe I'll work on them while on the train..

Digging this lessons and the ones over at |Guitar World|

Thanks man, glad you dig them, more to come!

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[korblitz]

Thanks man, glad you dig them, more to come!

Minor 7 Arpegios with an added flat 5th going in Fourths Formula: R b3 b5 b7 Minor 7th arpeggio or half diminished

Spoiler:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

C D# F# A# C major Scale: C D E F G A B
F G# B D# F major Scale: F G A Bb C D E
Bb Db E Ab Bb major Scale: Bb C D Eb F G A
Eb Gb A Db Eb major Scale: Eb F G Ab Bb C D
Ab B D Gb Ab major Scale: Ab Bb C Db Eb F G
Db E G B Db major Scale: Db Eb F F# Ab Bb C
F# A C E F# major Scale: F# G# A# B C# D# E#
B D F A B major Scale: B C# D# E F# G# A#
E G A# D E major Scale: E F# G# A B C# D#
A C D# G A major Scale: A B C# D E F# G#
D F G# C D major Scale: D E F# G A B C#
G Bb C# F G major Scale: G A B C D E F#

If this are half diminished arpeggios, what are full diminished arpeggios(if they exist)?

It seems that chords can be broken into 4 parts:

The Root gives the note name of the chord. It's the big picture
The Third tells us if it's major or a minor flavor.
The Fifth reinforces the chord but it's not necessary to give a strict definition to the chord.
The Seventh tell us if it's Dominant or not.
The added notes a.k.a. the 9th, 11th and 13th gives us an extended chord

Am I simplifying chords too much?

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[The Professor]

Minor 7 Arpegios with an added flat 5th going in Fourths Formula: R b3 b5 b7 Minor 7th arpeggio or half diminished

Spoiler:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

C D# F# A# C major Scale: C D E F G A B
F G# B D# F major Scale: F G A Bb C D E
Bb Db E Ab Bb major Scale: Bb C D Eb F G A
Eb Gb A Db Eb major Scale: Eb F G Ab Bb C D
Ab B D Gb Ab major Scale: Ab Bb C Db Eb F G
Db E G B Db major Scale: Db Eb F F# Ab Bb C
F# A C E F# major Scale: F# G# A# B C# D# E#
B D F A B major Scale: B C# D# E F# G# A#
E G A# D E major Scale: E F# G# A B C# D#
A C D# G A major Scale: A B C# D E F# G#
D F G# C D major Scale: D E F# G A B C#
G Bb C# F G major Scale: G A B C D E F#

If this are half diminished arpeggios, what are full diminished arpeggios(if they exist)?

It seems that chords can be broken into 4 parts:

The Root gives the note name of the chord. It's the big picture
The Third tells us if it's major or a minor flavor.
The Fifth reinforces the chord but it's not necessary to give a strict definition to the chord.
The Seventh tell us if it's Dominant or not.
The added notes a.k.a. the 9th, 11th and 13th gives us an extended chord

Am I simplifying chords too much?

Good work man. Just watch that you use flats and not sharps with the chords, so Cm7b5 is C Eb Gb Bb instead of C D# F# A#. Small item but it makes a difference when writing this stuff out on the staff or in letters.

That's exactly right about the chords, and so keep thinking that way. The only thing I would add is that the 5th is important for the m7b5 and dim7 arpeggios, the chords with the b5 built into them. And yep, we'll be covering dim7 arpeggios tomorrow!

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