CifraLab

Am9 Guitar Chord

Am9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2
Chord shapes:(2 positions)
Am9Guitar fingering diagram for Am912341×13STRING6ª×5ªB4ªE3ªA2ªC1ªG
View HD sheet

What sets Am9 apart

Play Am9 one string at a time and you hear A, C, E, G and B. A is the root, C the minor third, E the fifth, G the minor seventh and B the ninth.

From the low string to the high one you hear B, E, A, C and G. The bass is B, the ninth, not the root. That makes this shape an inversion.

The main Am9 shape needs a barre at fret 2 across three strings. String 6 stays silent. Everything fits between frets 1 and 3. The second shape on this page starts at fret 5.

From Am9 to Am only two strings change, 5 and 1. Am9 holds the whole C chord inside it, C, E and G. The change that keeps the most fingers still is to C. Two stay in place.

You will find Am9 in four different keys. In C major it is the vi9, in G major the ii9 and in A minor the i9. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

01Am Am - F - Dm - E702C C - Am - Dm - G703G G - Em - Am - D704Em Em - C - Am - B7
Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Am9)

Formula: Minor Ninth (1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9)
Constituent chord intervals:

A 1C ♭3E 5G ♭7B 9

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 2 (B)

String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Am9:

01

Standard

Barre fret 2
5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)
String Control (Muted & Active):
6th String (Low E)
×Muted
Do not play
Root
5th String (A)
Fret 2Barre
BDegree 9
4th String (D)
Fret 2Barre
EDegree 5
3rd String (G)
Fret 2Barre
ADegree 1
2nd String (B)
Fret 1Finger 1
CDegree ♭3
1st String (High E)
Fret 3Finger 3
GDegree ♭7

Placement tip: Barre fret 2. Press: 2nd String (B) at fret 1 with your Index finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 3 with your Ring finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

02

Barre 5

Barre fret 5
6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
Fret 5Barre
ADegree 1
5th String (A)
Fret 7
EDegree 5
4th String (D)
Fret 5Barre
GDegree ♭7
3rd String (G)
Fret 5Barre
CDegree ♭3
2nd String (B)
Fret 5Barre
EDegree 5
1st String (High E)
Fret 7
BDegree 9

Placement tip: Barre fret 5. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 7, 1st String (High E) at fret 7.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Am9)

Barre

The shape in numbers

ItemIn this chord
Frets1 to 3
Barrefret 2, from the 5th to the 3rd string
Fretting fingers3
Opennone
Muted6th

What to check

At fret 2, only the barre sounds the 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Am9

Listen: Am9 → C · Am · F

  1. Am9
  2. C
  3. Am9
  4. Am
  5. Am9
  6. F
Am9 → C01
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 fingers stay
Stay in place
  • finger 2: string 4, fret 2
  • finger 1: string 2, fret 1
Move
  • finger 3: string 5, fret 3
Am9 → Am02
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 fingers stay
Stay in place
  • finger 2: string 4, fret 2
  • finger 1: string 2, fret 1
Move
  • finger 3: string 3, fret 2
Am9 → F03
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions
Stay in place
  • string 3, fret 2
  • string 2, fret 1
Move
  • string 6, fret 1
  • string 5, fret 3
  • string 4, fret 3
  • string 1, fret 1

Am9 in every key

Am9 sits in the scale of 4 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty
3/5
Highest fret
3
Frets the hand covers
3
Barre
Yes
Strings that ring
5/6
Fretting fingers
3

Am9 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (Am9)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Am9 chord?

To play the Am9 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the Am9 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Am9 chord is its lowest pitch: B. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 2.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the Am9 chord and what is its formula?

The Am9 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 formula (Minor Ninth). Its constituent pitches are A, C, E, G, B.

How do you prevent the Am9 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent fret buzz on the Am9 barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official Am9 chord diagram

Am9 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4
Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the A family:

Chord A Chord Ab Chord Am Chord A7 Chord Ab7 Chord Amaj7 Chord Abmaj7 Chord Am7