Master the Bm9 Guitar Chord with Real-Time Feedback
The Bm9 chord, B minor ninth, is built from B, D, F#, A and C#. It is a Bm7 with the major ninth, C#, added above the root.
Three voicings are listed, one a barre shape and one using an open string, and the lowest sits at the 2nd fret. The D, F#, A and C# above the root spell a Dmaj7 chord, which is a useful anchor for finding the upper notes. For the logic behind that, see the theory of stacked thirds. The B Dorian scale contains all five notes.
Use the microphone check in the player at the top to confirm that each string rings.
B minor 9th guitar chord is also written as Bm9, Bmin9 or B-9.
Bm9 Chord Notes and Formula
Notes in the B m9 chord:
Chord Formula:
Formula: 1 b3 5 b7 9
Bm9 Chord Interactive Fretboard
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Bm9 Guitar Chord Diagrams
Position 1 Open
Finger Positions
- Mute the low E string
- Let the D string play without pressing any fret
- Mute the high E string
- Place your index finger (1) on the fret 2 of the A string
- Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 2 of the G string
- Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 2 of the B string
Position 2 Movable
Finger Positions
- Mute the B string
- Mute the high E string
- Place your index finger (1) on the fret 5 of the A string
- Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 6 of the G string
- Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 7 of the low E string
- Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 7 of the D string
Position 3 Barre Movable
Finger Positions
- Place your index finger (1) on the fret 7 of the low E, D, G and B strings at the same time
- Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 9 of the A string
- Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 9 of the high E string
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Chords That Go With Bm9
One key where Bm9 fits is D major, where it works as the vi chord. These are the main chords of that key, the ones you will often hear around it:
See every key in the guitar keys chart, or build a progression with these chords in the chord progression generator.
More B Chords
Want to know how this chord is built? Read ninth and add9 chords explained, or browse all B guitar chords.
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
Which notes are in Bm9?
B, D, F#, A and C#. The C# is the ninth added to the Bm7 notes B, D, F# and A.
What intervals does Bm9 stack on B?
A minor third (D), a perfect fifth (F#), a minor seventh (A) and a ninth (C#). The ninth is two semitones up from B after an octave.
Which scale goes over B minor ninth?
B Dorian: B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A. All five notes of Bm9 belong to it, and the ninth C# is its second degree.
How many voicings of Bm9 are there?
The fingering data lists 3 voicings between the 2nd and 9th fret. One uses an open string and one is a barre voicing.
Why is Bm9 called a minor ninth chord?
Because it is a minor chord, with the minor third D, that also carries the seventh A and the ninth C#. The name tells you both the minor quality and the extension.
