Fm9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)
From the bass on the 6th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios
Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.
Fm9 is built from F, Ab, C, Eb and G. F is the root, Ab the minor third, C the fifth, Eb the minor seventh and G the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are F, A flat, C, E flat and G.
String by string, low to high, it plays F, C, Eb, Ab, C and G. C appears twice in the main shape, and it is the chord's fifth. It runs from F on string 6 up to G on string 1.
For Fm9, your index finger barres fret 1. Your hand covers three frets, from 1 to 3. There is one more position, starting at fret 6.
Change only string 1 in Fm9 and you have Fm7. Inside Fm9 sits a complete Ab chord, made of Ab, C and Eb. Fm shares four positions with this shape.
Fm9 belongs to four keys. In Ab major it is the vi9, in Eb major the ii9 and in F minor the i9. The rest appear in the key list.
F 1Ab ♭3C 5Eb ♭7G 9
Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 1 (F)
String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator
Placement tip: Barre fret 1. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 3 with your Ring finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 3 with your Pinky finger.
Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 8 with your Middle finger, 4th String (D) at fret 6 with your Index finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 8 with your Ring finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 8 with your Pinky finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 1st String (High E).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 1 to 3 |
| Barre | fret 1, from the 6th to the 2nd string |
| Fretting fingers | 3 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | none |
At fret 1, only the barre sounds the 6th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings.
Listen: Fm9 → Fm · C · C7
Fm9 sits in the scale of 4 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Fm9 chord on guitar, all 6 strings are played from the 6th string (Low E) to the 1st string (High E). Arch your finger joints perpendicular to the fretboard so adjacent strings ring clearly.
The primary bass note of the Fm9 chord is its root note: F. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 1.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Fm9 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 formula (Minor Ninth). Its constituent pitches are F, Ab, C, Eb, G.
To prevent fret buzz on the Fm9 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.
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