C Minor 9th (Cm9)

1+b3+5+b7+9
CGDEbBb
4 4
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Notes in C Minor 9th

C (root)EbGBbD

Inversions

Same notes as C Minor 9th, with a different chord tone as the lowest note. Useful for smoother movement between chords instead of jumping around the keyboard.

Root position

C in the bass

CGDEbBb

1st inversion

Eb in the bass

GDCEbBb

2nd inversion

G in the bass

GDCBbEb

3rd inversion

Bb in the bass

DCGBbEb

4th inversion

D in the bass

DCGEbBb

Open voicings

A close-position chord like C Minor 9th can sound cluttered in the middle of the keyboard. Jazz players open it up by dropping one note down an octave, spreading the same notes wider without changing the chord.

Drop 2

Bb on the bottom

CGDEb

Drop 3

G on the bottom

CDEbBb

C Minor 9th consists of C, Eb, G, Bb and D, played at the same time.

A minor seventh chord with a ninth added softens the mood even further into something smooth and atmospheric. Jazz, R&B and lo-fi styles all reach for it whenever a minor chord needs to feel rich rather than sparse.

Difficulty: Advanced. Category: Extended chords. Click any key on the diagram above to hear that single note.