Minor 7b5 arpeggios are an important pattern for jazz guitar. There’s just no way around it.
And they’re also the pattern a lot of my students love to hate. These patterns are a little awkward at first, and don’t flow as easily as the minor 7 arpeggios did.
And to rub some salt in the wound, it’s also easy to accidentally play a minor 7 arpeggio instead… just because those are a little more familiar to most of us.
But eventually, they all get over it, and you will too.
Because once you take the time to get your fingers used to the arpeggio pattern, they actually flow pretty easily. Like anything else, you have to get used to it first.
And… they’re important for taking your soloing skills to a higher level. If you want to be able to play the changes in minor keys, you’re going to need your minor 7b5 arpeggios.
So let’s dive in and get these arpeggio patterns under your fingers.
Understanding Minor 7♭5 Arpeggios for Guitar
Minor 7b5 arpeggios are built with a root (1), minor or flat third (b3), diminished or flat fifth (b5), and a minor or flat seventh (b7).
I prefer to use the term flat for any lowered intervals, rather than the theory-class correct answer of “minor” or “diminished” intervals.
These terms are technically correct, and there’s nothing wrong with using them. In many cases, it’s the correct terminology to use around other musicians.
But in the context of jazz guitar chords and arpeggios, I feel like calling an interval “flat” instead is more clear – and it tells you what to do on your fretboard in order to make the change.
When you hear jazz musicians talk about the structures of chords, scales, or arpeggios, you’ll hear them use the term “flat” for any interval that is different from the major scale.
Plus, that’s how the intervals will appear in your arpeggio diagrams. So let’s keep it simple and use the term flat.
Now, there are technically 2 different names and 2 different chord symbols for this arpeggio.
They both mean the same thing, but they’re written and verbalized differently.
- Minor 7b5 = m7b5
- Half Diminished = ø7
They’re the same arpeggio, the same notes, the same sound.
But there are 2 different symbols you will need to know. It just depends on who you’re talking to, or who published the chord chart you’re looking at.
So it’s helpful to know both symbols and names. It’s annoying, but welcome to the world of jazz theory. And once you get used to it, it’s not that big of a deal.
The 5 Movable Arpeggio Patterns
We’ll be using movable arpeggio shapes for these patterns. When I say “movable” I mean that there are no open strings being used in the pattern.
This way, you can change what key your arpeggio is in by moving to a new fret. It’s one of the perks of playing guitar – and it’s important that you take advantage of movable finger patterns as much as possible when you’re playing jazz.
I like to use a 5 pattern system, with roots starting on the 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings. After years of searching for other “best” options, I feel like this covers all of the bases you really need.
You can certainly learn more patterns and approaches if you’d like… I’m never against learning something new. But these patterns are great for the majority of p;ayers to learn.
And sometimes less is more.
6th String Form
5th String Form
4th String Form
3rd String Form
2nd String Form
Be sure to follow the suggested finger patterns and the practice examples carefully as you learn these patterns for the first time.
Practicing Minor 7b5 Arpeggios for Guitar
Take it slow. Be able to double-check each finger before you play – at first. As your fingers learn the pattern, you’ll be able to go faster without making mistakes.
Play At Every Fret
Don’t think too hard about playing in all 12 keys or anything like that right now. Just play the shape, move up a fret, and do it again.
Play at every fret you can, shooting for 12 repetitions per day. (Or 24 if you have a lot of time on your hands…)
This is the best way to make these patterns automatic in your playing. Don’t skip this step.
Work The Cycle
Play around the cycle of 4ths on each string. This helps you get used to finding note names quickly when you’re reading through a jazz song.
Cycle of 4ths: C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D G
Mix And Match
Once you’re good with each individual shape, try playing around the cycle in a set area of the fretboard – forcing you to review your shapes.
I like to set up rules for myself, like:
- All of the starting roots have to be at the 5th fret and below
- All of the starting roots have to be at the 5th fret and above
- Or if I’m feeling a little more extreme about it, I’ll pick a 3 fret area and make myself find all of the starting roots in that range (Every note you’ll need exists with 3 frets… some of them twice)
iiø V i Progressions
Try applying these arpeggio shapes to minor iiø V i progressions.
This is a great way to start hearing these arpeggios in context. iRealPro has minor iiø V i progressions built in, and you can control the speed of your”backing band” easily from your phone or computer.
(I don’t have any financial arrangement with iRealPro, I just think they’re the best backing track situation you can find. Plus it’s only like $15)
Use Them In Songs
Find a song you like, and try plugging your new minor 7b5 arpeggios into the chord progression wherever you see the m7b5 or ø7 symbols.
Again, iRealPro is a great way to practice this. Once you have the app, you can download tons of chord progressions for free in their forum.
Conclusion
Minor 7b5 arpeggios are an essential pattern for jazz guitar, and they let you outline changes through minor iiø V i progressions (the iiø chord).
While they might take a little getting used to, it’s well worth the effort to get these right. If you follow my advice on this page, you’ll be nailing these arpeggio patterns in no time!
How are you doing with minor 7b5 arpeggios? Let me know in the comments or email me at [email protected].
More arpeggios
For more jazz guitar arpeggio shapes, check out the lessons on major 7, dominant 7, and minor 7 arpeggios.