In this video I’m kicking off a new series called “Guitar Chords You Should Know,” and I’m testing the waters with a chord that threw me for a loop the first time I heard it: the minor 7 sharp 5. I ran into it while learning “Mean It” by H.E.R. by ear, and none of my usual go-to R&B shapes (minor 7, major 7, dominant) were landing—because I was missing this sound. It’s not the most common chord in R&B, but you’ll hear it come up more in gospel, and it has a really unique color that doesn’t quite feel like a “sad” minor chord. I break down the exact shape (no close-up cam this time since I’m on a mobile hotel setup), how it relates to a regular minor 7 (it’s basically one note moved up a fret), and how to actually use it in a progression. The main takeaway is a super practical 6–7–1 walk-up using the number system—like C min7#5 to D min7#5 resolving to Eb major—plus a clean Eb major inversion you can use to keep the voice-leading smooth. If you want more chord shapes like this for R&B, I also point you to my R&B Chord Library and how to reach me for Zoom lessons.