A♭ Minor 9th
A♭m9
Notes
A♭ · C♭ · E♭ · G♭ · B♭
Intervals
- RootA♭ (1P)
- Minor 3rdC♭ (3m)
- Perfect 5thE♭ (5P)
- Minor 7thG♭ (7m)
- Major 9thB♭ (9M)
Fretboard
On the fretboard, B represents C♭.
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
Voicings & shapes
Rootless voicings (A / B form) (4)
About
The A♭m9 minor ninth (A♭–C♭–E♭–G♭–B♭) extends a minor 7 with a ninth. The B♭ sits above the G♭ and adds an expressive, singing quality. The essential tones are the C♭ (minor identity), G♭ (seventh extension), and B♭ (defining color); the 5th can be dropped to keep voicings clear. m9 chords appear frequently in jazz, neo-soul, and ambient styles as tonic or pre-dominant harmony — for example as ii in a major ii–V–I (A♭m9 → D♭9 → G♭Maj9). Compared to A♭m7, the added 9th gives more emotional dimension without increasing tension.
Chord diagrams
Ab Minor 9th voicing charts — tap a sheet to open it full size to save or print.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- A♭ Dorian (I)
- A♭ Natural Minor (I)
- B Lydian (VI)
- B Major (VI)
- B♭ Locrian (VII)
- B♭ Phrygian (VII)
- D♭ Dorian (V)
- D♭ Mixolydian (V)
- E Lydian (III)
- E♭ Harmonic Minor (IV)
- E♭ Natural Minor (IV)
- E♭ Phrygian (IV)
- F Locrian (III)
- F♯ Major (II)
- F♯ Mixolydian (II)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.