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Em9

Character: moody

  1. ERtriad
  2. G♭3triad
  3. B5triad
  4. D♭7add
  5. F♯9add
Open Em9 in the chord libraryDownload the Em9 chart (PDF)
Voicings

4 ways to play Em9

Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.

  • Triad note
  • Substitute
  • Added
  • Anchored root
  • Bass
  • Doubling
CC shape Root position Em9
4 5 6 7 5 9 ♭7 ♭3 R R R

Frets 0 7 5 7 7 0Notes E G D F♯Intervals 1 ♭3 ♭7 9Base triadE minor, root position

The ♭7th takes the 5th’s string. The 9th gets a string of its own.

GG shape Root position Em9
9 10 11 12 5 9 ♭7 ♭3 R R 5

Frets 12 10 12 11 0 0Notes E G D F♯Intervals 1 ♭3 ♭7 9Base triadE minor, root position

The ♭7th takes the 5th’s string. The 9th gets a string of its own.

EE shape Root position Em9
1 2 3 4 5 9 ♭7 ♭3 R 5 R

Frets 0 2 2 0 3 2Notes E G D F♯Intervals 1 ♭3 ♭7 9Base triadE minor, root position

The ♭7th takes the 5th’s string. The 9th gets a string of its own.

EE shape 2nd inversion AnchoredEm9
1 2 3 4 R 9 ♭3 ♭7 5 R 5

Frets 0 2 0 0 0 2Notes E B D G F♯Intervals 1 5 ♭7 ♭3 9Base triadE minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The ♭7th takes the root’s string. The 9th gets a string of its own.

The rules

The construction rules Em9 follows

  1. Start from a triad

    Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.

  2. A third on top makes a 7th chord

    A major 7th over a major triad is maj7, a ♭7 is a dominant 7. Over minor you get m7 or m(maj7); over diminished, m7♭5 or the °7, whose 7th is lowered twice.

  3. Keep stacking for extensions

    The 9th, 11th and 13th are the 2nd, 4th and 6th an octave up. Each one sits on the stack below it: a 9th chord holds a 7th, a 13th holds the 9th and 11th in theory.

  4. On guitar, something has to give

    Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.

  5. The root can move down

    When an extension needs the root’s string, the root can drop to the string below the triad: an anchored voicing keeps the bass and frees a string on top.

All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.

Minor 9th in every key

More chords on E

Em9 chord questions

What notes are in Em9?

Em9 is spelled E G B D F♯: E is the root, G is the ♭3rd, B is the 5th, D is the ♭7th, F♯ is the 9th.

What is the formula of Em9?

1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9. It is a E minor triad with the ♭7th, 9th stacked on top.

How many ways can you play Em9 on guitar?

This page shows 4 voicings of Em9, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.