E♭ dominant ninth (E♭9) chord on piano

Dominant ninth chord (a dominant seventh plus a major ninth) on E♭: the notes of the E♭9 chord are E♭ – G – B♭ – D♭ – F. The same chord with a different spelling: D♯ dominant ninth (D♯9).

Full chord: E♭4 – G4 – B♭4 – D♭5 – F5

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What the E♭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 E♭9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	E♭	root
3	G	major third (4 semitones)
5	B♭	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	D♭	minor seventh (10 semitones)
9	F	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

E♭4 – G4 – B♭4 – D♭5 – F5

Two-hand voicing

E♭3 – G4 – D♭5 – F5 – B♭5

Which keys is it in?

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

A♭ major: V9 (dominant)
F minor: VII9

Similar chords and substitutes

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

Substitutes (by function)

A7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Gdim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
E♭7 – a simpler dominant
E♭7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
A♭ – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

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

Richer versions

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

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E♭9 chord?

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

How do I play the E♭9 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 E♭9 chord written?

The chord symbol is E♭9 (also written Eb9), and its full name is E♭ dominant ninth.