Gm9 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.
Gm9 is built from G, Bb, D, F and A. G is the root, Bb the minor third, D the fifth, F the minor seventh and A the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are G, B flat, D, F and A.
From the low string to the high one you hear G, D, F, Bb, D and A. The note heard most is D, twice. It is not the root but the fifth. The lowest note is G on string 6 and the highest is A on string 1.
The main Gm9 shape needs a barre at fret 3 across five strings. Everything fits between frets 3 and 5. The second shape on this page starts at fret 3.
Gm7 is one change away. String 1 moves from fret 5 to fret 3, bringing in G, the root of Gm7. Gm9 holds the whole Bb chord inside it, Bb, D and F. Going to Gm, four positions stay the same.
Gm9 belongs to four keys. In Bb major it is the vi9, in F major the ii9 and in G minor the i9. The rest appear in the key list.
G 1Bb ♭3D 5F ♭7A 9
Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 3 (G)
String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator
Placement tip: Barre fret 3. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 5 with your Ring finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 5 with your Pinky finger.
Placement tip: Barre fret 3. Press: 1st String (High E) at fret 5 with your Ring finger. Don't play: 5th String (A).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 3 to 5 |
| Barre | fret 3, from the 6th to the 2nd string |
| Fretting fingers | 3 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | none |
At fret 3, only the barre sounds the 6th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings.
Listen: Gm9 → Gm · Bb · F
Gm9 sits in the scale of 4 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Gm9 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 Gm9 chord is its root note: G. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 3.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Gm9 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 formula (Minor Ninth). Its constituent pitches are G, Bb, D, F, A.
To prevent fret buzz on the Gm9 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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