Fm9 Chord (Minor 9th)

Minor 9th extends min7 with a 9th — root, flat 3rd, 5th, flat 7th, 9th — a smoother, more spacious minor colour. The notes of Fm9 are F, G#, C, D#, G.

A neo-soul and modal-jazz staple; the added 9th keeps a minor chord from feeling heavy even when it’s held for a long time.

Fm9 voicings on guitar

Every playable, root-in-the-bass grip standard tuning offers, computed from the chord’s own formula — not a fixed shape library.

Hold it under a Dorian melody line — the natural 6th of Dorian and the 9th of this chord share the same open, unresolved character.

Formula and intervals

R - b3 - 5 - b7 - 2 — 5 notes.

Scales that fit Fm9

Every scale below contains all of this chord’s notes — safe territory to improvise in over it.

• F Dorian
• F Aeolian

Other extended on F

• F6 (Major 6th)
• Fadd9 (Add 9)
• Fmaj9 (Major 9th)
• F9 (Dominant 9th)
• F11 (Dominant 11th)
• Fmaj13 (Major 13th)