Chord · C Minor 9th
Cm9 Chord
Cm9 is C, Eb, G, Bb and D — smooth, sophisticated; neo-soul staple.
Cm9 on every instrument
The same 5 notes, 3 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What Cm9 is made of
Cm9 (C minor ninth) is built from the notes C, Eb, G, Bb, D, with the interval pattern 1, b3, 5, b7, 9.
Stack 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 on a root of C and you get C, Eb, G, Bb and D. 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 Dm9 sounds like a transposed Cm9.
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 E♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain Cm9
All 5 notes sit inside the scale of 4 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on C
Same root, different colour.
The same minor ninth shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about Cm9
- What notes are in the Cm9 chord?
- Cm9 is made of C, Eb, G, Bb and D — the 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 degrees of a minor ninth chord built on C.
- What keys use the Cm9 chord?
- Every note of Cm9 belongs to 4 keys: Bb Major (ii), Eb Major (vi), G Minor (iv), C Minor (i). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play Cm9 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows Cm9 on guitar, piano and ukulele — 7 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why Cm9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.