Bm9 Chord
The Bm9 chord is a minor ninth chord built on the root note B. Its notes are B, D, F♯, A and C♯.
Minor ninth chords are smooth, cool and slightly melancholy. The ninth widens a minor seventh into something more spacious, which is why it anchors so much modern R&B, house and jazz comping.
Bm9 on piano
To play Bm9 on piano, take B in the left hand and the remaining notes - D, F♯, A and C♯ - in the right. Press all keys at the same time and listen for a clear, balanced sound. Practice switching to and from this chord slowly, then with a metronome at a comfortable tempo.
Bm9 on guitar
Open
On guitar, Bm9 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. If the chord contains barred notes, keep your index finger flat across the fretboard and curve the other fingers so they don't mute the open strings. Strum only the strings marked as active in the diagram for the cleanest tone.
Play the chord
Bm9 chord notes
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | B |
| ♭3 | Minor third | 3 | D |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | F♯(F#) |
| ♭7 | Minor seventh | 10 | A |
| 9 | Major ninth | 14 | C♯(C#) |
How to use the Bm9 chord
The Bm9 chord is built from a root, a minor third, a perfect fifth, a minor seventh and a major ninth. Starting from the root B, stack the intervals to get the complete chord: B, D, F♯, A and C♯. Learning the formula is the fastest way to transpose the chord to any other key.
Minor ninth chords stand in for minor sevenths as the ii chord in a ii-V-I, or as the tonic of a minor groove. Neo-soul, house, jazz and R&B use them as the default minor colour.
Common progressions
The Bm9 chord works beautifully in these progressions. Click a chord name to jump to its page.
Related chords to Bm9
Once you are comfortable with Bm9, explore neighbouring chords to unlock new progressions. The chords below share notes, keys or functions with Bm9 and are a natural next step in your practice.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the Bm9 chord?
Is the Bm9 chord major or minor?
How do you play Bm9 on piano?
How do you play Bm9 on guitar?
What chords work well with Bm9?
Keep exploring
Deepen your understanding of the Bm9 chord with our other music theory tools.