E♭m9 chord
E♭ minor ninth. The minor ninth chord: a minor seventh chord with the ninth added. It sounds soft and smooth, and it is a common ii chord in jazz.
Click a note to hear it
- Notes
- E♭ G♭ B♭ D♭ F
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9
- Intervals
- P1 m3 P5 m7 M2
- Also written
- E♭min9
- Enharmonic
- D♯m9
Notes in E♭m9
E♭m9 is spelled E♭ G♭ B♭ D♭ F: five notes stacked from the root E♭.
| Note | Interval above E♭ | Role | Formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | root | 1 | |
| m3 | third | ♭3 | |
| P5 | fifth | 5 | |
| m7 | seventh | ♭7 | |
| M2 | ninth | 9 |
Inversions
Putting a different chord tone in the bass gives each inversion. The chord is the same; the bass note changes how it sounds and what it can lead to.
| Position | Notes, low to high | Symbol | Hear it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | E♭ G♭ B♭ D♭ F | E♭m9 | |
| First inversion | G♭ B♭ D♭ F E♭ | E♭m9/G♭ | |
| Second inversion | B♭ D♭ F E♭ G♭ | E♭m9/B♭ | |
| Third inversion | D♭ F E♭ G♭ B♭ | E♭m9/D♭ | |
| Fourth inversion | F E♭ G♭ B♭ D♭ | E♭m9/F |
On the piano
The root position voicing, with every chord tone lit in its own colour. Click a key to hear it.
On the guitar
E♭m9 in standard tuning. The barre shapes below slide anywhere on the neck, so the same fingers give you every root. Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right); X means do not play that string.
E-shape barre at fret 11
What it sounds like
Cm9 is C, E♭, G, B♭ and D: a minor seventh chord with the ninth, D, added. The minor third and minor seventh give the chord a dark, soft colour. The ninth is a major second above the root, and it sits a semitone below the minor third, E♭. That close pair creates a gentle, smoky friction. Because the seventh does not pull as strongly as a dominant seventh, the tension stays mild and the chord sounds smooth rather than driving.
How it is used
Minor ninth chords are common on the second degree of major keys, as ii9, where they lead to the dominant. In a minor key, i9 is used as a tonic colour, and in jazz the ii9 often begins a ii, V, I progression. Dm9, G7 and C is a typical version in C. Pop and soul use minor ninths on the sixth degree, vi9, as a tonic substitute. Their colour is softer than a plain minor seventh, which suits smooth passages.
How it is built
The minor ninth is a root with a minor third, a perfect fifth, a minor seventh and a major ninth, 0, 3, 7, 10 and 14 semitones above the root. Common symbols are Cm9, Cmin9, C-9 and Cm(9). Cm9 is Cm7 with D added, so the minor seventh chord is contained inside it. The ninth adds colour without changing the chord's quality. Inversions place E♭, G, B♭ or D in the bass.
Which keys contain E♭m9
E♭m9 is not built from any one major or minor key’s own notes. It appears through borrowing, alteration or chromatic voice leading, which is part of why it sounds coloured.
Scales that fit E♭m9
Scales that contain every note of the chord, so they can be played over it:
- C Locrian
- C♯ major
- C♯ Mixolydian
- D♭ major
- D♭ Mixolydian
- E♭ natural minor
- E♭ Dorian
- F Phrygian
- F Locrian
- F♯ major
- F♯ Lydian
- G♭ major
- G♭ Lydian
- G♯ Dorian
Other E♭ chords
How to practise it
Play Cm7 and then Cm9, adding the D above the B♭, and hear the soft shimmer that the ninth brings. Then play Dm9, G7 and C major. In Dm9 the ninth, E, falls to D, the fifth of G7, which is a clear stepwise motion to hear. Keep the bass moving D, G, C, a sequence of falling fifths.
Further reading
- Chord Extensions Explained: Ninths, Elevenths and ThirteenthsJazz & Popular Harmony · 7 min
- Jazz Chord Voicings: Shell and Rootless Voicings ExplainedJazz & Popular Harmony · 7 min
- Chord Symbols Explained: Major, Minor, Seventh and Slash ChordsHarmony · 8 min
Questions
What notes are in a E♭m9 chord?
E♭m9 contains E♭, G♭, B♭, D♭, F. That is the root, third, fifth, seventh, ninth of the chord.
How do you spell E♭ minor ninth?
Stack the intervals P1, m3, P5, m7, M2 above E♭: E♭, G♭, B♭, D♭, F.
What other symbols mean E♭m9?
Lead sheets also write it E♭min9. They are the same chord.
What is the difference between Cm7 and Cm9?
Cm7 is C, E♭, G and B♭. Cm9 adds D, the ninth, which sits a semitone below E♭. The added note makes the chord softer and more coloured. Both keep the minor third and minor seventh, so the quality is the same, and the ninth is the only difference.
Why is the minor ninth used so often in jazz?
It is the usual ii chord in major keys, where it sits on the second degree and leads to the dominant. The ninth colours the minor seventh without changing its function. In a ii, V, I progression such as Dm9, G7 and C, the minor ninth prepares the dominant and sounds smooth before the tonic.
What is the difference between C9 and Cm9?
C9 is C, E, G, B♭ and D, with a major third. Cm9 is C, E♭, G, B♭ and D, with a minor third. Only the third changes, but that one note turns a dominant chord with a bright ninth into a minor chord with a soft colour. The seventh and ninth are the same in both.