C♯ minor ninth (C♯m9) chord on piano

Minor ninth chord (a minor seventh plus a major ninth) on C♯: the notes of the C♯m9 chord are C♯ – E – G♯ – B – D♯. The same chord with a different spelling: D♭ minor ninth (D♭m9).

Full chord: C♯4 – E4 – G♯4 – B4 – D♯5

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What the C♯m9 chord sounds like

A minor ninth is a minor seventh with an added major ninth: soft and warm, typical of R&B and neo-soul.

Notes of the C♯m9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	C♯	root
3	E	minor third (3 semitones)
5	G♯	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	B	minor seventh (10 semitones)
9	D♯	major second (2 semitones)

Piano voicings

Chords with five or more notes are rarely played in one hand: the left hand takes the root, the right hand the colour notes. The fifth (and in an eleventh chord the third) is often left out.

Full chord

C♯4 – E4 – G♯4 – B4 – D♯5

Two-hand voicing

C♯3 – E4 – B4 – D♯5 – G♯5

Which keys is it in?

The C♯m9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

C♯ minor: i9 (tonic)
G♯ minor: iv9 (subdominant)
E major: vi9
B major: ii9

Similar chords and substitutes

If C♯m9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

E – relative major: two shared notes
A – the major chord a major third below: two shared notes
C♯m7 – a fuller, softer minor colour

Simpler versions

C♯m7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
C♯m – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
C♯sus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C♯m9 chord?

C♯, E, G♯, B, D♯. The root is C♯; the intervals of the other notes from the root: minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major second.

How do I play the C♯m9 chord on piano?

Play the root with your left hand and the colour notes (third, seventh, ninth) with your right hand – the two-hand voicing above. Stacking all 5 notes in one hand is possible but sounds crowded.

How is the C♯m9 chord written?

The chord symbol is C♯m9 (also written C#m9), and its full name is C♯ minor ninth.