B♭ dominant ninth (B♭9) chord on banjo

The B♭ dominant ninth chord (B♭9) is a dominant ninth chord (a dominant seventh plus a major ninth), made of five notes: B♭ – D – F – A♭ – C. The same chord with a different spelling: A♯ dominant ninth (A♯9).

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Basic shapemedium

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What the B♭9 chord sounds like

A dominant ninth is a dominant seventh with an added major ninth. A fuller, fatter dominant sound – a staple of funk, soul and blues.

Notes of the B♭9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B♭	root
3	D	major third (4 semitones)
5	F	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
7	A♭	minor seventh (10 semitones)
9	C	major second (2 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (D): fret 10, little finger (C5)
String 2 (B): fret 9, ring finger (A♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 7, index finger (D4)
String 4 (D): fret 8, middle finger (B♭3)

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The B♭9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

E♭ major: V9 (dominant)
C minor: VII9

Similar chords and substitutes

If B♭9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

E7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Ddim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
B♭7 – a simpler dominant
B♭7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
E♭ – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

B♭7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
B♭add9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
B♭ – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
B♭sus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

B♭11 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B♭13 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭9 chord?

B♭, D, F, A♭, C. The root is B♭; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major second.

What is the easiest way to play B♭9 on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”. We show 1 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some B♭9 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 5-note chord. The fifth (F) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without it.

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.