A minor ninth (Am9) chord on cavaquinho
- Notes
- ACEGB
- Formula
- 1♭35♭79
How to play Am9 on cavaquinho
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Shape 1 · fret 9
no 5th (E)
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Shape 2 · fret 5
no 5th (E)
-
Shape 3 · fret 9
no 5th (E)
-
Shape 4 · fret 5
no 5th (E)
The Am9 has 5 notes, and on cavaquinho only 4 fit at a time. The shapes on this page leave out: 5th (E). That is standard practice: the 5th goes first (it barely changes the sound) and, if a string is still missing, the root, which the bass player usually covers.
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. x = do not play the string, o = open string. The coloured dot is the root (A).
Am9 inversions on cavaquinho
The same Am9 with another chord note in the bass (the lowest note that sounds). The notes stay the same, but the colour changes, and the bass line can move by step from one chord to the next. In a chord symbol, the bass comes after the slash.
3rd (C) in the bass1st inversion · Am9/C
7th (G) in the bass3rd inversion · Am9/G
7th (G) in the bass3rd inversion · Am9/G
About the minor ninth chord
A minor chord with a seventh and a ninth: velvety and modern. Common in neo-soul, R&B, jazz and bossa, as a ii chord or as a "vamp" chord that keeps cycling while the melody wanders.
Notes and intervals of Am9
Am9 (A minor ninth) is built from 5 notes. Each one fills a degree of the chord:
- A · 1 · root
- C · ♭3 · minor third
- E · 5 · perfect fifth
- G · ♭7 · minor seventh
- B · 9 · ninth
Other A chords
Minor ninth: other roots
Frequently asked questions
How do you play the Am9 chord on cavaquinho?
Am9 (A minor ninth) has 4 fingerings on this page, from easiest to hardest. Each diagram shows the fingers, the open strings (o) and the strings you do not play (x), and you can hear every shape.
What notes are in Am9?
The notes of Am9 are A, C, E, G, B. The formula is 1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9: root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, ninth.
What does Am9 mean?
Am9 is the chord symbol for A minor ninth. A minor chord with a seventh and a ninth: velvety and modern. Common in neo-soul, R&B, jazz and bossa, as a ii chord or as a "vamp" chord that keeps cycling while the melody wanders.
Can I play Am9 on other instruments?
Yes. Am9 also has a page on guitar, on ukulele, with the fingerings for each instrument.