G minor, added ninth
How to play Gm(add9) — Minor, added ninth
Gm(add9) (Minor, added ninth)G · B♭ · D · A
Guitar samples: Acoustic guitar — University of Iowa (via tonejs-instruments, CC-BY 3.0)
G minor, added ninth — notes and structure
The Gm(add9) chord is a minor chord with an added ninth for extra colour and tension.
The Gm(add9) minor, added ninth consists of the notes G, B♭, D, A. Its interval structure is R–3–5–9 — the root, then each chord tone stacked above it. This is the same chord you see in the interactive finder above, drawn on the guitar fretboard with the root circled and every chord tone labelled.
Gm(add9) stacks a minor third (B♭), a perfect fifth (D) and a ninth (A) above the root G.
The finder shows 2 ways to play Gm(add9) — movable shapes higher up the neck reaching up to the 8th fret. 1 of them use a barre.
What key is Gm(add9) in?
Every note of Gm(add9) belongs to the scales below, so the chord sounds at home in each of these keys — the roman numeral is the degree it sits on.
- F major — the ii chord
- B♭ major — the vi chord
- D minor — the iv chord
- G minor — the i chord
Chords that go with Gm(add9)
In F major, the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth degrees carry most songs — put Gm(add9) next to these:
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the G minor, added ninth chord?
- The Gm(add9) chord contains the notes G, B♭, D, A. It is a minor chord with an added ninth for extra colour and tension.
- How many ways can you play Gm(add9) on guitar?
- 2 voicings are shown on this page — movable shapes up the neck — each with its own fingering diagram and audio.
- Is Gm(add9) a hard chord to play?
- It is a movable shape played higher up the neck rather than in open position, so it takes a little more hand strength.
- What key does Gm(add9) belong to?
- Gm(add9) fits F major (where it is the ii chord), B♭ major (where it is the vi chord), D minor (where it is the iv chord) — every note of the chord is in those scales.