Chord · F Minor 9th
Fm9 Chord
Fm9 is F, Ab, C, Eb and G — smooth, sophisticated; neo-soul staple.
Fm9 on every instrument
The same 5 notes, 3 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What Fm9 is made of
Fm9 (F minor ninth) is built from the notes F, Ab, C, Eb, G, with the interval pattern 1, b3, 5, b7, 9.
Stack 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 on a root of F and you get F, Ab, C, Eb and G. 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 Fm9.
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 A♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain Fm9
All 5 notes sit inside the scale of 4 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on F
Same root, different colour.
The same minor ninth shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about Fm9
- What notes are in the Fm9 chord?
- Fm9 is made of F, Ab, C, Eb and G — the 1, b3, 5, b7 and 9 degrees of a minor ninth chord built on F.
- What keys use the Fm9 chord?
- Every note of Fm9 belongs to 4 keys: Eb Major (ii), Ab Major (vi), C Minor (iv), F Minor (i). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play Fm9 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows Fm9 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 Fm9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.