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Chord · Eb Minor 9th

Em9 Chord

Em9 is Eb, Gb, Bb, Db and Fsmooth, sophisticated; neo-soul staple.

Hear it

Em9 on every instrument

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

×4fr21333EADGBE
Guitar1 voicing
CDEFGAB
Piano4 voicings
6fr2143GCEA
Ukulele1 voicing

What Em9 is made of

Eb Minor 9th (Eb minor 9th) is built from the notes Eb, Gb, Bb, Db, F, 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 E and you get Eb, Gb, Bb, Db and F. 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 Em9.

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 Em9

All 5 notes sit inside the scale of 8 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Other chords on E

Same root, different colour.

The same minor ninth shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

Questions people ask about Ebm9

What notes are in the Ebm9 chord?
Ebm9 is made of Eb, Gb, Bb, Db and F — the 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 degrees of a minor ninth chord built on Eb.
What keys use the Ebm9 chord?
Every note of Ebm9 belongs to 8 keys: Db Major (ii), F# Major (vi), Gb Major (vi), C# Major (ii), Bb Minor (iv), D# Minor (i), Eb Minor (i), A# Minor (iv). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Ebm9 on guitar and piano?
This page shows Ebm9 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 Ebm9 the same as D#m9?
Yes. Ebm9 and D#m9 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Ebm9 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why Em9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineWhat a seventh chord is for — tension, resolution, and the seat it takes in the key.6 min readThe 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 readMajor and Minor Scales — Built from Intervals, Felt in SongsThe flat third under all of this, and the scale it comes from.5 min read