Explore chords · Guitar
G minor add 9 chord on guitar (Gmadd9)
Also called or written Gmadd9, Gm add9, G or G minor Add 9th
G minor add 9 is built from G, B♭, D, and A. The open position uses a stretchy index finger on the low E and a pinky on the high e.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 9
- Root positionG–B♭–D–AGmadd93-0-0-3-3-3
- First inversionB♭–D–A–GGmadd9/B♭×-1-0-2-3-3
- Second inversionD–A–G–B♭Gmadd9/D×-5-5-3-3-5
- Third inversionA–G–B♭–DGmadd9/A×-0-0-3-3-3
How do you play a G minor add 9 chord on guitar?
G minor add 9 is played in open position as 3 0 0 3 3 3: index finger on the low E string at fret 3, middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the B string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The A and D strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 1 | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (2) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | G (1) |
AdvancedThe index finger must fret the low E at the 3rd fret while the pinky holds the high e at the same fret, and the open strings must ring clearly.
Open · D on top
G minor add 9 is played in open position as 3 1 0 2 3 ×: ring finger on the low E string at fret 3, index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 3. The D string rings open. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 3 | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (2) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
3rd fret
G minor add 9 is played at the 3rd fret as 3 5 5 3 3 5: barre your index finger across fret 3, middle finger on the A string at fret 5, ring finger on the D string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 1 (barre) | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 2 | D (5) |
| 4 (D) | 5 | 3 | G (1) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 1 (barre) | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 4 | A (2) |
Gm add9/B♭ inversion
G minor add 9 is played in open position as × 1 0 2 3 3: index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 2, ring finger on the B string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The D 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 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (2) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | G (1) |
Gm add9/D inversion
G minor add 9 is played at the 3rd fret as × 5 5 3 3 5: barre your index finger across fret 3, middle finger on the A string at fret 5, ring finger on the D string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 5. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 2 | D (5) |
| 4 (D) | 5 | 3 | G (1) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 1 (barre) | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 4 | A (2) |
Why it sounds like that
G minor add 9 uses the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 9. The major 2nd between G and A adds the ninth, while the minor 3rd between G and B♭ keeps the minor quality. Compare with G minor, which omits the ninth.
What goes wrong with G minor add 9?
- Letting the index finger touch the 5th string and deaden the open A.
- Flattening the pinky onto the 2nd string and deadening the B at the 3rd fret.
When to use it
G minor add 9 works as the vi chord in B♭ major, as in B♭–F–Gm–E♭, the I–V–vi–IV. It suits bluesy, soulful passages where the added ninth adds a vocal-like quality.
Changing to and from G minor add 9
- From G minor, add the pinky on the high e at the 3rd fret to create G minor add 9.
- Move the shape up to the 3rd fret to play G minor add 9 as a barre chord.
Which voicing to use
The open position puts G in the bass for a root-position sound. The Gm add9/B♭ inversion at the 1st fret places B♭ in the bass, giving a darker, less stable feel.
Other G chords
Common questions
What is the difference between G minor add 9 and G minor 9?
G minor add 9 contains only the root, minor third, fifth, and ninth. G minor 9 adds the minor seventh as well, creating a denser, more dissonant sound.
Can I play G minor add 9 as a barre chord?
Yes, the 3rd-fret barre shape is the same voicing an octave higher. It uses the same fingering as A minor add 9 but shifted down two frets.
Why does the open position feel so stretchy?
The index finger must reach the low E at the 3rd fret while the pinky holds the high e at the same fret. This wide span is the main challenge.