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B♭ minor 9th chord on guitar (B♭m9)
Also called or written B♭m9 or B♭
B♭ minor 9th contains B♭, D♭, F, A♭, and C. The 6th-fret barre demands a wide stretch from index to pinky.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9
- Root positionB♭–D♭–F–A♭–CB♭m96-8-6-6-6-8
- First inversionD♭–F–A♭–C–B♭B♭m9/D♭9-8-8-10-9-8
- Second inversionF–A♭–C–B♭–D♭B♭m9/Fno shape on this instrument
- Third inversionA♭–C–B♭–D♭–FB♭m9/A♭4-4-×-5-6-6
- Fourth inversionC–B♭–D♭–F–A♭B♭m9/C8-8-6-6-6-6
How do you play a B♭ minor 9th chord on guitar?
B♭ minor 9th is played at the 6th fret as 6 8 6 6 6 8: barre your index finger across fret 6, ring finger on the A string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 3 | F (5) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | D♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 1 (e) | 8 | 4 | C (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the 6th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings cleanly while the pinky stretches to the 8th fret on the 1st string.
B♭m9/D♭ inversion
B♭ minor 9th is played at the 8th fret as 9 8 8 10 9 8: barre your index finger across fret 8, middle finger on the low E string at fret 9, pinky finger on the G string at fret 10 and ring finger on the B string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 2 | D♭ (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 4 | F (5) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (2) |
B♭m9/A♭ inversion
B♭ minor 9th is played at the 4th fret as 4 4 × 5 6 6: barre your index finger across fret 4, middle finger on the G string at fret 5, ring finger on the B string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 6. The D string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (♭7) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 (barre) | D♭ (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (G) | 5 | 2 | C (2) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 3 | F (5) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 4 | B♭ (1) |
B♭m9/C inversion · fret 6
B♭ minor 9th is played at the 6th fret as 8 8 6 6 6 6: barre your index finger across fret 6, ring finger on the low E string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8 | 3 | C (2) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 4 | F (5) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | D♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
B♭m9/C inversion · fret 8
B♭ minor 9th is played at the 8th fret as 8 8 8 10 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 8, pinky finger on the G string at fret 10, middle finger on the B string at fret 9 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (2) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | F (5) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 4 | F (5) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 2 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 3 | D♭ (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ 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 B♭ minor 7th, which lacks the 9th.
What goes wrong with B♭ 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 8th fret.
- The ring finger flattens onto the 4th string, causing a muted D note.
When to use it
B♭ minor 9th works in the vi–IV–I–V progression in C♯ 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 B♭ minor 9th
- From B♭ minor 9th to A♭ minor 9th, slide the entire shape down two frets to the 4th fret.
- From B♭ minor 9th to C minor 9th, slide the entire shape up two frets to the 8th fret.
Which voicing to use
The 6th-fret voicing puts B♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. For a lighter feel, try the B♭m9/D♭ inversion at the 8th fret, where D♭ in the bass softens the chord's weight.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ minor 9th written?
B♭ minor 9th is written as B♭m9. The ASCII root is Bb, so you may see Bbm9. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between B♭ minor 9th and B♭ minor 7th?
B♭ minor 9th adds a C note to B♭ minor 7th. The C is the 9th, which creates a more colorful and dissonant sound than the plain minor 7th.
Can B♭ minor 9th be played without a barre?
The 6th-fret voicing requires a full barre. However, the B♭m9/A♭ inversion at the 4th fret uses a partial barre and omits the 4th string, making it easier for some players.