Explore chords · Guitar
A♭ minor 9th chord on guitar (A♭m9)
Also called or written A♭m9 or A♭
A♭ minor 9th contains A♭, C♭, E♭, G♭, and B♭. The 4th-fret barre demands a wide stretch from index to pinky.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9
- Root positionA♭–C♭–E♭–G♭–B♭A♭m94-6-4-4-4-6
- First inversionC♭–E♭–G♭–B♭–A♭A♭m9/C♭7-6-6-8-7-6
- Second inversionE♭–G♭–B♭–A♭–C♭A♭m9/E♭no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionG♭–B♭–A♭–C♭–E♭A♭m9/G♭2-1-1-1-0-×
- Fourth inversionB♭–A♭–C♭–E♭–G♭A♭m9/B♭×-1-1-1-0-2
How do you play an A♭ minor 9th chord on guitar?
A♭ minor 9th is played at the 4th fret as 4 6 4 4 4 6: barre your index finger across fret 4, ring finger on the A string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 3 | E♭ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 4 | B♭ (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the 6th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings cleanly while the pinky stretches to the 6th fret on the 1st string.
A♭m9/C♭ inversion
A♭ minor 9th is played at the 6th fret as 7 6 6 8 7 6: barre your index finger across fret 6, middle finger on the low E string at fret 7, pinky finger on the G string at fret 8 and ring finger on the B string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 2 | C♭ (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 4 | E♭ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 3 | G♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (2) |
A♭m9/G♭ inversion
A♭ minor 9th is played in open position as 2 1 1 1 0 ×: barre your index finger across fret 1 and pinky finger on the low E string at fret 2. The B string rings open. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 4 | G♭ (♭7) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (2) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (1) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | C♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
A♭m9/B♭ inversion · open position
A♭ minor 9th is played in open position as × 1 1 1 0 2: barre your index finger across fret 1 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 2. The B string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (2) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (1) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | C♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 4 | G♭ (♭7) |
A♭m9/B♭ inversion · fret 4
A♭ minor 9th is played at the 4th fret as 6 6 4 4 4 4: barre your index finger across fret 4, ring finger on the low E string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 3 | B♭ (2) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ minor 9th is built from 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7, and 9. The minor 7th gives the chord its mellow tension, while the 9th adds a bright color. Compare with A♭ minor 7th, which lacks the 9th.
What goes wrong with A♭ minor 9th?
- The index barre buzzes on the 4th, 3rd, or 2nd string because it is not pressing evenly.
- The pinky mutes the 1st string instead of fretting it cleanly at the 6th fret.
- The ring finger flattens onto the 4th string, causing a muted D note.
When to use it
A♭ minor 9th works in the vi–IV–I–V progression in B major, where it is the vi chord. Use it in jazz ballads and neo-soul for its lush, extended minor color.
Changing to and from A♭ minor 9th
- From A♭ minor 9th to B♭ minor 9th, slide the entire shape up two frets to the 6th fret.
- From A♭ minor 9th to G minor 9th, slide the entire shape down one fret to the 3rd fret.
Which voicing to use
The 4th-fret voicing puts A♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. For a lighter feel, try the A♭m9/B inversion at the 6th fret, where C♭ in the bass softens the chord's weight.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ minor 9th written?
A♭ minor 9th is written as A♭m9. The ASCII root is Ab, so you may see Abm9. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between A♭ minor 9th and A♭ minor 7th?
A♭ minor 9th adds a B♭ note to A♭ minor 7th. The B♭ is the 9th, which creates a more colorful and dissonant sound than the plain minor 7th.
Can A♭ minor 9th be played without a barre?
The 4th-fret voicing requires a full barre. However, the A♭m9/F♯ inversion at the 1st fret uses a partial barre and omits the 1st string, making it easier for some players.