Why Half Diminished Chords Are Amazing And How To Use Them

[@XiyuYang]

When you hear the lick 5 seconds into a video you know it's gonna be good :D

[@xae8280]

I prefer this intro way better than the others. Straight to the point

[@JensLarsen]

Isn't this the same as all the other lessons from the last year (give or take)?

[@justabeard3794]

@@JensLarsen Maybe he's comparing it to other teachers on youtube

[@binface9]

Really enjoying the way you're linking what you're teaching back to jazz standards.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! :)

[@tonyvino1115]

you are an excellent teacher. I am a long time professional guitarist and teacher. Thank you for opening the door to improvisation over common jazz chord changes.

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome Tony! :)

[@joehernandez5600]

HI Jens, hope you're well and staying safe. I don't say this enough but your lessons have been incredibly helpful to me in making progress in my jazz playing. I truly appreciate all your great content. Thanks.

[@GeorgeSPAMTindle]

This is my first viewing of this channel, and I am mightily impressed. I subscribed straight away, and hope to understand later. I think that I'll need to watch this channel in the same way that I watch Rick Beato's channel, that is with a notebook and pen, lots of stopping and rewinding, guitar at hand, and then watching it again all the way through without pausing it at all. Thank you very much for this channel Jens.

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

Jens, I am amazed at how many views you get on what are some very difficult concepts. You are clearly doing something right, and fulfilling a need with your channel. Great job! 👍

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Patrick! I think there are a lot of people looking for info on all of this, so I don't think it is that crazy actually?

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

@@JensLarsen You're right of course, but I never would have guessed that there were anywhere near this many. 28K+ views on a video about half diminished chords? Wow!

[@Avatar7x7]

@@JensLarsen The intonation of your guitar is perfect, is there some device like the "Buzz Feiten system" on it or you've got the best guitar tech in the world ?

[@JensLarsen]

@@Avatar7x7 Thank you! I have a great tech

[@bezziano57]

Superb lesson! I’m trying desperately to keep up with Jazz studies. I had discovered some months ago that a min 6 is also a m7b5. I used the trick on musicals. Wherever I see m6, I sub to a m7b5 so I’m only thinking same shapes. But thanks Jens for the other ways to use this chord. Brilliant!!

[@calbrush6654]

They don’t sound the same, bubba

[@Isabella-jx5kw]

If the roots a minor 3rd away then it’s the same

[@rl2905]

This video helps bring to light the concept of the unlimited potential of the tritone. If you've got a chord with a tritone in it, it's essentially dominant, and the world can be all yours with it. Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Well, yes and no. A m6 chord is a tonic and has a tritone so they are not all essentially dominant chords :)

[@scottmoyer1357]

Thank you for this.....it adds to my studies of the minor 7b5 as seen on the Circle of 5ths and as applied to the F, D, Ab, & B dominant 7th chords which are all tritones of each other as seen on the Circle located opposite each other.

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it Scott :)

[@c0nk2879]

Jens! Your videos are a wealth of information for the modern jazz guitarist. Thank you for all the great work.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like them 🙂

[@griqds4128]

Awesome lessons sir! As a young jazz learner all your videos are very precious tools, i've been watching your vids for a few weeks and already feel the upgrade in my playing and knowledges! Keep it up :) (i'm french, excuse my english)

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Great to hear that you can put it to use 🙂 no worries about your English, I am Danish so... 😁

[@tonyhume100]

I love I/2 dim chords - so many ways to flavour things up - a few new ways here by jens….brilliant as usual

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks, Anthony!

[@tyron07]

You are a brilliant teacher

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@alexmckenzie8491]

Yes, a tremendous video. I didn't realise how many positions there are for the half-diminished. A beautiful chord.

[@kirkp_nextguitar]

This is excellent. I know much of this, but I’ve learned it haphazardly over many years. Your systematic approach helps pull it all together and extends it beyond what I’ve learned so far. I’d recommend that any players overwhelmed with the pace and amount of info in this video first watch the whole video to get the gist of it, then work on it in small chunks at a time. There is enough info here to spend days on it.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it :)

[@Alrukitaf]

Years in my case.

[@ciaranmcgrath3273]

With the knowledge you share in your videos; you have helped me see the interconnectivity of tonality and how improvised music can become like a fluid motion. I really appreciate you sharing your deep understanding of how music moves.

[@RC32Smiths01]

Always showing the best ways to utilize and master choral types of all varieties! Cheers man!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks RC :)

[@RC32Smiths01]

@@JensLarsen Cheers man!

[@phampshire6864]

Thanks, that's a really good way of seeing how to form half diminished chords from m7.

[@TheSandkastenverbot]

Best Jazz teacher ever!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@christianp4123]

Best jazz youtuber

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! :)

[@mybiggrin]

Dude... so useful. This video is a week's worth of information. Thank you so much. Easily helping me transfer my knowledge of piano to the guitar.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johngardiner7537]

Jens. I font know if I will ever get half reasonable at this at 68 years old but I really enjoy the lessons

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks John! Great to hear, and I would say: Go for it, as long as you have fun what could possibly be the problem?

[@lilmoe4364]

At a job once I ended up talking to Al Dimeola on the phone. I asked him what his favorite chord was. He thought for a second and then said "Minor 7 flat 5."

[@joyfullmusicexploring-thom5093]

i wish i would be 20 now and jens would be the only youtube chanel existing ( besides jazzduets 😉😂)

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Thomas :)

[@jivanbansi9640]

And Rick Beato

[@hubertvancalenbergh9022]

Valuable, as always. After a brief refreshment tomorrow this should stick for a while.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Hubert!

[@winstonsmith7652]

An old jazzer bit my head off when I called it a "half diminished" chord. He said "it's not 'half' of anything. It's a complete chord in it's own right." Semantics, I know. Great lesson. I often play the minor 7 flat 5 over dominants in my lines (something I knicked from Pat Martino) but haven't explored fully with chords. Time to change that. Many thanks again.

[@JensLarsen]

That's something Pat knicked from Parker (or pretty much anybody else :D ) You should have told that old dude that if it is a complete chord then it also could not be diminished :D

[@carlosclaptrix]

Well, even this guy can change his judgemental mind. It is just words which don't hurt the chord at all!

[@larrybaby9377]

Great vid. I watch it again and again to unconfuse myself.

[@134SASAKI]

This video is also an excellent sound demonstration of the Yamaha SG-1000. I also own this guitar. Great guitar.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! It is indeed a great guitar, though my bridge is actually bending under the strings, so I need to have it replaced :)

[@134SASAKI]

@@JensLarsen The bridge of YAMAHA SG (unlike the tailpiece) is not compatible with Gibson spec, so it may be hard to get replacement parts. (Unless you reattach the studs.) My SG-1000 bridge is in very good condition, but the SA-1000 bridge is worn out and I need to replace it someday. I wish you good luck! Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

@@134SASAKI thanks 🙂 I do indeed need to go hunting for one

[@brysonmartin427]

Thank u jens for your abundance of free lessons. I learn quicker from u than anyone

[@marcosa3145]

So much good stuff in your lessons. I'm starting to take notes.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@shanedefeo6881]

Playing thinking of seventh chords with different roots in the base is like taking the concept of slash chords to another level,stepping it up a notch!Great intrllectual concepts.but my brain gets overwhelmed by all this thinking and vosualizing if I dont follow write thes interval transformations down on paper.Great lesson

[@mikesherrard8871]

This man is the most jazz playing jazz player

[@charoox]

Coming from gypsy jazz, my reference would be rather minor6 chords and thinking for instance Cm6 and Ebm6 on a minor 2 5 in G Great lesson as always ! I Will try it on maj7#11 chords !

[@Nuclearsoandso]

Lessons are only getting better. Excellent work.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you, Michael!

[@nikhilfranco7241]

thank you for this lesson ! i'm glad i understood and it shows my progress(i think). last year i would have been lost in the first two minutes :)

[@JensLarsen]

Great job!

[@BrendaBoykin-qz5dj]

Thank you,Jens🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@JensLarsen]

You're welcome 😊

[@JensLarsen]

The Most Important Scale Exercise In Jazz kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIvIY2V4g8und6M A jazz solo will usually follow the chord progression that it is played over, the most important way that you do that is by using arpeggios over the chords. You are probably already practice arpeggios, but chances you can do it in a better way than what you are doing now, and that is what I want to talk about in this video. Content: 0:00 Intro 0:57 #1 Basics: Half diminished Chord construction and Voicings 2:08 #2 Basic use in a minor II V I 3:35 Two things! 4:33 #3 Dominant 6:56 #4 Altered Dominant 9:22 #5 Lydian Chords 11:13 Like the video? Check out my Patreon page.

[@atuvelman]

Hey Jens, why the different half-diminished symbols at 1:55 ? Is it because the chords on the right are inverted?

[@pickinstone]

As Scrap Book said on another video, it's great to use these substitutions linearly. My favorite was a sub that a saxophonist taught me a couple of months ago. Play the Half Diminished a whole step lower than the root of the dominant as an upper structure. For instance, for a C7--you'd play a Bbm7b5. That would give you Bb Db E Ab. If you think of it in relation to the C7, that's b7, b9, 3rd, b13. So, yes--as you said, altered. But it gets you to that altered sound quickly, and helps target that pesky b13th.

[@tomg2946]

I like to use 1. the root of the m7b5 arpeggio on the Root of the altered dominant , followed by 2. the root of the m7b5 arpeggio on the b7 of the altered dominant. Or reverse the order. This gives the root and guide tones of the altered dominant plus all the altered notes. Can think of these two consecutive m7b5 chords as from the melodic minor a semitone above the root of the altered dominant. Its also a simple movement along the neck of course.

[@jimkangas4176]

Nice job on this one! I've used the "up a minor third" trick, but you've really expanded the pallet here. The Lydian one is very hip.

[@j.p.fitting9226]

Great playing Viking!

[@olafbigandglad]

Yamha SG. Fabulous, under rated guitars.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks!

[@BomShiva2]

Will "get it", eventually. Then, maybe I too can be hip. :) Thanks Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it :)

[@peanutpeanut123]

Nice lesson. Also use this chord to chromatically walk thru a 1 6 2 5. C9 (E Bb D G) A7alt (G Dd F Bb) D9 (Gb C E A) G7alt (F B Eb Ab)

[@ElectromagneDikk]

I like where u phraseed that A half diminished. I play a 7 in drop a tuning and i like using that area of the neck with the open strings.

[@MrMoonCraft]

You're such a great teacher. Thank you for the knowledge

[@JensLarsen]

You are very welcome

[@boboala1]

Well done, as usual, Jens! When I get rusty in my jazz theory I always like to watch a video from you as I get to see the actual notation/voicing of your progression examples, and see the chord diagram. It makes it all click from my common-practice Bach learning I got way back in college. BTW, I used to really be into older Latin jazz (esp. Jobim) - and I think your 1/2 dim chord analysis might apply to tunes like 'One Note Samba', 'Desafinado, 'Girl With Emphysema'' and others...in case that might make for another chapter in your tutorials.

[@kevinriveraguitar]

Hello from Costa Rica Jens! I just wanted to say thank you because I'm a college student and right now can't afford to pay for lessons. All your videos and emails have helped me a lot, although I'm still struggling with the theory part I am starting to understand a lot of things. But most important I'm able to enjoy what I play so much more. As soon as I can I'll become a Patreon. Again, thank you so much Jens. I'll keep studying.

[@AnAmericanComposer]

As a music theory nut, thank you so much for making this video from such a practical perspective. Thank you also for using proper enharmonic spellings as I know how funny hdim and dim chords can be to spell. This kind of content is leagues beyond hacks on this platform like Signals Music

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! I don't really think that Jake (signals music studio) and I have the same audience, and I suspect that he sometimes makes choices like that to make it easier for his audience to get what he is talking about? We all do deal with the odd enharmonic issue in the material, I at least feel that I am always making choices about that.... :)

[@peropen]

Another great lesson. Thanks, Lars!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome :)

[@rogeriolima1602]

excellent explanation here in Brazilian music we use LIDIO # 11

[@JensLarsen]

Nice 🙂

[@JeromyBranch]

Thanks for being so straight forward and not stopping to teach people HOW to play. We should know how already if we are looking at advanced concepts like this. I had to go back to my music theory lessons to figure out what you are talking about in some places....but that's my problem not yours. Amazing lesson thanks again.

[@LukeFoo1975]

That's very helpful lesson 👌

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it Luke!

[@etiloyon3681]

Hi Jens, this is really a very good lesson ; thanks for your generous sharing.

[@Ko-zh1in]

Really well done video. Very informative, easy to follow, you got my like/subscribe within the a minute of the video!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! That is very nice to hear 🙂

[@helminenjuha]

Such a clear and beautiful tone. And great insights too, again! Thank you Jens!

[@gabrielperrymusic]

Fantastic lesson. You really uncover a LOT of stuff here. Wow. I love it.

[@cripe7874]

Ottima lezione, grazie Maestro!

[@indoornauta]

Great video! Thanks for each second of it

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it, Felipe

[@ARichardP]

Great tone on that guitar.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you, Richard 🙂

[@joseluisvelasco4574]

I love your videos, they deserve more exposure, cheers from Mexico

[@jessedeguzman9437]

many thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

You're welcome!

[@captainkoo]

Jam packed lesson, filled with useful information. This will take quite a bit of practice to master !

[@fnl62fnl62]

Great lesson. Perfect pacing. Well done sir. Thanks.

[@jumemowery9434]

Jens is the *Master!*

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Jume!

[@wendigo2442]

Best ad for Ritalin ever

[@aptelbruno8316]

Thank you so much ! wonderful colors !!! wonderful chords !!!

[@jamescopeland5358]

Half diminished is probably my favorite

[@ChuloDavidcito]

As a chord geek, I was looking forward to your list. I was aware of all except the last one, cool! Super clever coming after the F7alt, and a tritone in the bass makes for a spicy sound! :)

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

Great video, thank you. I also like bII-7b5 in place of dominant

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

Meant II-7b5 as sub for dom

[@paulmoore7964]

You did not mention my fav. Vanilla half dim. Up a minor third for dom7, then up maj 3 for tonic min 6.

[@JensLarsen]

I do try :)

[@gaborkovacs7134]

That's a nice way to demonstrate the versatility of the half-diminished chord: it can function as a subdominant, a dominant and a (minor) tonic chord, and as a progression it sounds so natural (especially above the proper baseline) that you can hardly notice it is in fact the same chord transposed.

[@Euro.Patriot]

I'm trying to ground myself in learning at a level that I actually learn at, I've been obsessed with stuff like modal interchange while getting confused when I see a key signature with 4 flats so I'm trying to stay basic until I master it. The progression I made is D/\ to F#- 》 = key change VIadd9 > ii7 > V9 > I/\7 > IV/\7 > vii > I/\7 》vii-7b5 > Isus4 > VI/\7 > III > VI6(9) > III 》 IVadd9 OR Badd9 > Em7 > A9 > Dmaj7 > Gmaj7 > C#m > Dmaj7 > C#m7b5 》F#sus4 > Dmaj7 > Gmaj7 > A > D6(9) > A 》Badd9 The C#m7b5 sounds really out of place, I think it's because I just used a C#m but I'm not as good with theory as I'd like to be. The Dmaj7s and As have different voicings, if you reply I can add them in like this: Badd9 - X X 9 8 7 9 E A D G B e I just put a bunch of chords together and wanted to start practicing, I like the progression though.

[@Euro.Patriot]

I just thought of another cool progression. Dadd9 > C6sus4 > Gmaj7 > Eadd9

[@gregoryhill7553]

Wow wow wow; this brother is truly awesome succinct & on point, appreciate it.

[@dkwvt13]

Jens, you always manage to nail one for me! I am currently doing a deep dive on Autumn Leaves and this is great material. Thank You as always...! ;-)

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Donald! That's great to hear!

[@obscurebandfan]

So essentially you're teaching us how to substitute regular chords for more interesting ones? I think understand. All I've played on guitar since I was 14 was either folk or bluesy stuff so jazz is a new world to me. My theory is extremely rusty but I'm sure with a few watches I'll get this. I like the professional style of these videos.

[@JensLarsen]

No, that's not really it. Because you want to use the m7b5 voicings but you don't want to think other chords, at least I prefer to think chords that fit with what the music sounds like. Eø A7alt Dm6 is pretty basic and easy to hear. Eø Gø Bø doesn't really make any sense :)

[@andrestipanovic7407]

great lesson, thanks Jens!!

[@JensLarsen]

You are very welcome, André

[@teaforone77]

Awesome usable stuff! Thank you!

[@Cherembo1953]

Absolutly beautiful chords,love it!!you put a lot of wo r k into all this,thanks so much ,u r a superb guitarrist,god bless you ,good luck!!thanks once again.

[@francesco0185]

I'm a rock guitar player and always got a terrible headache after five minutes following (and playing along) videos like these. ;) But it's good and I like to learn this chords, even rootless ones. Before watching this lesson I just knew half diminished chords in two positions on the fretboard...

[@cuttyshark]

For me,...Best lesson in a while

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@vgostivavstriu9519]

Many thanks for the lesson!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@guitarguy4372]

This is a great video, Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Glad you like it!

[@ElectromagneDikk]

Another good video my friend. 7th chords took me a while to figure out lol. Still figurin them out. I love half diminished chords. My guitar teacher taught me them when i was in lessons as a boy hehe. He was a jazz guy and i should have studied wit him more but anyway ive always found theres great ways to use that chord to create good tension in metal songs and makes for easy key changing and interesting chord melody options.

[@JazzgutsVGvanKampen]

Great lesson Jens, you want my hack? well I use 2 half dim arpegios out of melodic minor as an altered sound. For instance over G7 alt I use Fmi75- and Gmi75- (also inversions), hard to master but a great concept. Keep up your great work.

[@PecktheTownCrierVideos]

Cool sounds, thank you!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Chris! Glad you like it!

[@RickDanner]

nice I use it as the 1 chord in blues like C# in A

[@JensLarsen]

Solid!

[@HuugyBearInc]

The fly on his head at one minute👁👁

[@jadonclews3348]

I saw that too 🤣

[@AntarblueGarneau]

Comprehensive! Thx Jens!

[@bartsjazzman446]

Great sounds.

[@d0leo]

Thanks for the video! I really like the tone you get out of that Yamaha, would you mind telling me what gauge strings you use? They look quite heavy, from what I can see, and there looks like a decent amount of tension, too. Cheers!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! The Yamaha has 13s strings from Sonotone. They actually feel pretty loose for 13s 🙂

[@SaccoBelmonte]

Well those inversions are gonna be useful on "Les Yeux Noir", thank you Jens.

[@vishyoutubevideos]

very interesting lesson. it's true half diminished chords have always been a mystery to me. not so much anymore.

[@JensLarsen]

That is great Vishal :)

[@purdysanchez]

In America, beginners start with simple classical music or pop songs. In Scandinavia, beginners start with jazz.

[@carlospraia1242]

Wow great video thanks a lot

[@matteozardinilacedelli7966]

Always thanks

[@JensLarsen]

Always welcome

[@bobbymcloughlin3452]

Minor 7 Flat 5 is a Full Diminished Chord, but Augmented, m7(b5) = Augmented-Diminished, dim7+, aug°,

[@JensLarsen]

no

[@vicentedeandres8051]

Thank u very very much!! keen on you!!

[@Deliquescentinsight]

Interestingly I first discovered this chord trying to master Autumn Leaves from the old 'Real Book' years ago, they are also beautiful substitutes for 9th (minor7/9/) blues progressions-Allman Bros used them a lot

[@JensLarsen]

They are indeed super useful on dominants :)

[@gaborkovacs7134]

@@JensLarsenTo me, the thumbnail implies that no other four-note chord/arpeggio can function in so many different ways, which I fully agree with. The half-diminished chord can be found 4 times in the half-whole diminished scale, and 2 times in the melodic minor scale. Because neither of these two scales have any "avoid" notes when we improvise over chords derived from them, over a G dominant 7 chord, we can play (1) a G, Bb, Db or E half-diminished arpeggio to imply a diminished sound (e.g. G13b9), (2) F or G half-diminished arpeggios to imply an altered sound (e.g. G7b5#9) , or B or Db half-diminished to imply a Lydian dominant sound (e.g. G13b5). So, in principle, at least half of all possible half-diminished arpeggios (6 out of 12) will fit ANY particular dominant chord! What about the remaining 6? Over a G dominant 7 chord, to my ears, the A and D half-diminished arpeggios can also be used tastefully, with the C implying the sound of a suspended sound which you may resolve into a B as you continue the line. The remaining 4 m7b5 arpeggios (F#, Eb, C, Ab) all contain the major 7th (F#/Gb), so they are evidently out. But that still leaves a total of 8 out of 12 options. Of course, some if these sounds are more common than others and the choice also depends on the context.

[@vladimirverline8251]

very good thank you

[@fer18433]

Thanks, good teacher

[@EclecticEssentric]

That's helpful, thanks.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you find it useful Timmy!

[@tonakkie635]

Hoi Jens, waarom klinkt Cis-HalfDim chord als een gewone volle A(Amaj) of A7, als ik een blues speel. Zo gebruik ik hem in de blues als chord 1 in de key of A. Komt dat omdat de 3rd vd A een Cis is? De b7 is ook de b5 vd CisHDim