Chord · E Minor 9th
Em9 Chord
Em9 is E, G, B, D and F# — smooth, sophisticated; neo-soul staple.
Em9 on every instrument
The same 5 notes, 3 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What Em9 is made of
Em9 (E minor ninth) is built from the notes E, G, B, D, F#, with the interval pattern 1, b3, 5, b7, 9.
Stack 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 on a root of E and you get E, G, B, D 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 F♯ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain Em9
All 5 notes sit inside the scale of 4 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 Em9
- What notes are in the Em9 chord?
- Em9 is made of E, G, B, D and F# — the 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 degrees of a minor ninth chord built on E.
- What keys use the Em9 chord?
- Every note of Em9 belongs to 4 keys: G Major (vi), D Major (ii), E Minor (i), B Minor (iv). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play Em9 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows Em9 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 Em9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.