F# 9b5 Chord

How the F# 9b5 chord is built: its notes, its interval structure, and where it fits.

The F# 9b5 chord contains 5 notes: F# – G# – A# – C – E. It belongs to the altered family of chord qualities. Like every chord, it is defined by the distances (intervals) between its notes, not by any one instrument — which is why the same formula names the chord whether it is voiced on a fretboard, a keyboard, or a choir.