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Guitar chords · Minor 9th

Fm9 chord on guitar

Fm9 (F minor 9th) has five notes: F, A♭, C, E♭ and G, the , ♭3, 5, ♭7 and 9.

Shapes

How to play Fm9

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

Fm9 has no common . Play it as the E shape at 1 or the A shape at fret 8. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • E shape · fret 1

    ×R♭7♭359FE♭A♭CG
  • A shape · fret 8

    6fr××R♭3♭79FA♭E♭G
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes Fm9 minor 9th

A minor 9th chord adds the 9th to a minor . It sounds smooth and moody, the sound of neo-soul, R&B and jazz ballads. Keep the ♭3rd, the ♭7th and the 9th; the 5th can go.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd, the ♭7th and the 9th make Fm9 a minor 9th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. FRroot
  2. A♭♭3essential
  3. C5optional
  4. E♭♭7essential
  5. G9essential
EADGBE0135791215FFFFFFFFFGA♭CE♭GCE♭GA♭CE♭GA♭CE♭GA♭CE♭GA♭CE♭GA♭CGA♭CE♭G
  • F, the root
  • Other chord tones

Fm9 often leads to B♭7 and then E♭: the ii9–V7–I of E♭ major.

Keys

Keys with Fm9

Fm9 belongs to four keys: A♭ major (vi9), E♭ major (ii9), F minor (i9) and C minor (iv9).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

Fm9 over another bass note

A keeps Fm9 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • Fm9/A♭

    Fm9 with its ♭3rd, A♭, in the bass.

  • Fm9/C

    Fm9 with its 5th, C, in the bass.

  • Fm9/E♭

    Fm9 with its ♭7th, E♭, in the bass.

Questions

Fm9, in short

What notes are in the Fm9 chord?
Fm9 (F minor 9th) has five notes: F, A♭, C, E♭ and G, the , ♭3, 5, ♭7 and 9.
How do you play Fm9 on guitar?
Fm9 has no common . Play it as the E shape at 1 or the A shape at fret 8.
What key is Fm9 in?
Fm9 belongs to four keys: A♭ major (vi9), E♭ major (ii9), F minor (i9) and C minor (iv9).
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