E♭ minor ninth (E♭m9) chord on piano

The E♭ minor ninth chord (E♭m9) is a minor ninth chord (a minor seventh plus a major ninth), made of five notes: E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – F. The same chord with a different spelling: D♯ minor ninth (D♯m9).

Full chord: E♭4 – G♭4 – B♭4 – D♭5 – F5

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What the E♭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 E♭m9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	E♭	root
3	G♭	minor third (3 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 – G♭4 – B♭4 – D♭5 – F5

Two-hand voicing

E♭3 – G♭4 – D♭5 – F5 – B♭5

Which keys is it in?

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

E♭ minor: i9 (tonic)
B♭ minor: iv9 (subdominant)
G♭ major: vi9
D♭ major: ii9

Similar chords and substitutes

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

Substitutes (by function)

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

Simpler versions

E♭m7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
E♭m – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
E♭sus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E♭m9 chord?

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

How do I play the E♭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 E♭m9 chord written?

The chord symbol is E♭m9 (also written Ebm9), and its full name is E♭ minor ninth.