B flat major ninth (Bb7M(9)) chord on guitar
- Notes
- B♭DFAC
- Formula
- 13579
How to play Bb7M(9) on guitar
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Shape 1 · 1st position
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Shape 2 · fret 5 · barre
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Shape 3 · fret 7
no 5th (F)
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Shape 4 · fret 3 · barre
no 5th (F)
Some shapes leave out: 5th (F). The caption of each one says what is missing. The 5th is the first to go: it barely changes the sound of the chord.
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 (B flat). The same shapes work on acoustic, classical and electric guitar.
Bb7M(9) inversions on guitar
The same Bb7M(9) 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 (D) in the bass1st inversion · Bb7M(9)/D
3rd (D) in the bass1st inversion · Bb7M(9)/D
5th (F) in the bass2nd inversion · Bb7M(9)/F
5th (F) in the bass2nd inversion · Bb7M(9)/F
7th (A) in the bass3rd inversion · Bb7M(9)/A
7th (A) in the bass3rd inversion · Bb7M(9)/A
Jazz voicings
About the major ninth chord
A major chord with a major seventh and a ninth: maybe the most "bossa nova" sound there is. Bright and sophisticated, used on the I and IV chords in jazz, Brazilian pop and lo-fi.
Notes and intervals of Bb7M(9)
Bb7M(9) (B flat major ninth) is built from 5 notes. Each one fills a degree of the chord:
- B♭ · 1 · root
- D · 3 · major third
- F · 5 · perfect fifth
- A · 7 · major seventh
- C · 9 · ninth
Other B flat chords
- Bb
- Bbm
- Bb7
- Bb7M
- Bbm7
- Bbm7(b5)
- Bb°
- Bb°7
- Bb+
- Bbsus2
- Bbsus4
- Bb7sus4
- Bb5
- Bbadd9
- Bb6
- Bbm6
- Bb9
- Bbm(add9)
- Bbm9
- Bb7M(9)
- Bbm(7M)
- Bb7M(#5)
- Bb7(b9)
- Bb6(9)
- Bbm6(9)
- Bb11
- Bbm11
- Bb13
- Bbm13
- Bb7(#9)
- Bb7(#11)
- Bb7(b13)
- Bb7(#5)
- Bb7M(#11)
- Bb9sus4
Major ninth: other roots
Frequently asked questions
How do you play the Bb7M(9) chord on guitar?
Bb7M(9) (B flat major 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 Bb7M(9)?
The notes of Bb7M(9) are B♭, D, F, A, C. The formula is 1 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 9: root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh, ninth.
What does Bb7M(9) mean?
Bb7M(9) is the chord symbol for B flat major ninth. A major chord with a major seventh and a ninth: maybe the most "bossa nova" sound there is. Bright and sophisticated, used on the I and IV chords in jazz, Brazilian pop and lo-fi.
Can I play Bb7M(9) on other instruments?
Yes. Bb7M(9) also has a page on ukulele, on cavaquinho, with the fingerings for each instrument.