What notes are in the Bbm9 chord?

Bbm9 is made of Bb, Db, F, Ab and C — the 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 degrees of a minor ninth chord built on Bb.

What keys use the Bbm9 chord?

Every note of Bbm9 belongs to 6 keys: Ab Major (ii), Db Major (vi), C# Major (vi), F Minor (iv), Bb Minor (i), A# Minor (i). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.

How do you play Bbm9 on guitar and piano?

This page shows Bbm9 on guitar, piano and ukulele — 6 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is Bbm9 the same as A#m9?

Yes. Bbm9 and A#m9 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Bbm9 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · Bb Minor 9th

B♭m9 Chord

B♭m9 is Bb, Db, F, Ab and C — smooth, sophisticated; neo-soul staple.

Hear it

B♭m9 on every instrument

The same 5 notes, 3 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

Guitar1 voicing

Piano4 voicings

Ukulele1 voicing

What B♭m9 is made of

Bb Minor 9th (Bb minor 9th) is built from the notes Bb, Db, F, Ab, C, with the interval pattern 1, b3, 5, b7, 9. A common minor 9th chord across many styles.

Stack 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 on a root of B♭ and you get Bb, Db, F, Ab and C. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a minor ninth chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why Cm9 sounds like a transposed B♭m9.

Minor 9th: Smooth, sophisticated; neo-soul staple.

Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with B♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain B♭m9

All 5 notes sit inside the scale of 6 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Major keys

Minor keys

Other chords on B♭

Same root, different colour.

B♭Bb Major B♭mBb Minor B♭dimBb Diminished B♭augBb Augmented B♭sus2Bb Suspended 2nd B♭sus4Bb Suspended 4th B♭5Bb Power Chord B♭6Bb Major 6th

The same minor ninth shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

Cm9C Minor 9th Dm9D Minor 9th Em9E Minor 9th Fm9F Minor 9th Gm9G Minor 9th Am9A Minor 9th Bm9B Minor 9th C♯m9C# Minor 9th

Questions people ask about Bbm9

What notes are in the Bbm9 chord?: Bbm9 is made of Bb, Db, F, Ab and C — the 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 degrees of a minor ninth chord built on Bb.
What keys use the Bbm9 chord?: Every note of Bbm9 belongs to 6 keys: Ab Major (ii), Db Major (vi), C# Major (vi), F Minor (iv), Bb Minor (i), A# Minor (i). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Bbm9 on guitar and piano?: This page shows Bbm9 on guitar, piano and ukulele — 6 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Bbm9 the same as A#m9?: Yes. Bbm9 and A#m9 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Bbm9 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why B♭m9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Barre Chords — The Wall Every Guitarist ClimbsThis one asks for a barre. The article is the fix for the buzzing and the aching hand.7 min read Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineWhat a seventh chord is for — tension, resolution, and the seat it takes in the key.6 min read The 12-Bar Blues — Three Chords, A Century of HitsSeventh chords are the whole sound of the blues. Twelve bars is where to hear it.7 min read