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Guitar chords · Minor add 9

B♭m(add9) chord on guitar (Bbm(add9))

B♭m(add9) (B♭ minor add 9) has four notes: B♭, D♭, F and C, the , ♭3, 5 and 9.

Shapes

How to play B♭m(add9)

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

B♭m(add9) has no common . Play it as the E shape at 6 or the A shape at fret 13. 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 6

    6frR59♭35RB♭FCD♭FB♭
  • A shape · fret 13

    10fr××R♭359B♭D♭FC
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes B♭m(add9) minor add 9

A minor add9 chord is a minor chord with the 9th added and no 7th. The 9th sits a above the , giving the minor chord a wistful, ringing colour heard in ballads and film music.

  • 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 and the 9th make B♭m(add9) a minor add 9 chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. B♭Rroot
  2. D♭♭3essential
  3. F5optional
  4. C9essential
EADGBE0135791215B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭FCD♭FCD♭FCFCD♭FCD♭FCD♭FCD♭FCD♭F
  • B♭, the root
  • Other chord tones

B♭m(add9) and A♯m(add9) are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with B♭m(add9)

B♭m(add9) belongs to four keys: D♭ major (vi(add9)), A♭ major (ii(add9)), B♭ minor (i(add9)) and F minor (iv(add9)).

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

B♭m(add9) over another bass note

A keeps B♭m(add9) on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • B♭m(add9)/D♭

    B♭m(add9) with its ♭3rd, D♭, in the bass.

  • B♭m(add9)/F

    B♭m(add9) with its 5th, F, in the bass.

Questions

B♭m(add9), in short

What notes are in the B♭m(add9) chord?
B♭m(add9) (B♭ minor add 9) has four notes: B♭, D♭, F and C, the , ♭3, 5 and 9.
How do you play B♭m(add9) on guitar?
B♭m(add9) has no common . Play it as the E shape at 6 or the A shape at fret 13.
What key is B♭m(add9) in?
B♭m(add9) belongs to four keys: D♭ major (vi(add9)), A♭ major (ii(add9)), B♭ minor (i(add9)) and F minor (iv(add9)).
Is B♭m(add9) the same as A♯m(add9)?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. B♭m(add9) is the spelling in D♭ major, A♭ major, B♭ minor and F minor; A♯m(add9) only in C♯ major and A♯ minor, which most players write as D♭ major and B♭ minor.
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