A7b9 guitar chord

3rd inversion · G in the bass
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About A7b9

A7b9 lowers the 9th of to , one fret above its root: A, C#, E, G and Bb.

That note can fall one fret to the root of a minor home chord. This is a common altered V in a minor cadence, not its only destination.

Also written A7(b9), A7-9 or A7♭9.

A7b9 guitar chord diagram: A, C#, E, G, Bb, played xx5656
A7b9 guitar chord voicing: x-x-5-6-5-6.

How to use A7b9

1The V of a minor key

V in D minor

A7b9 is the dominant a minor key builds from its own notes. The flat nine is the key’s flat sixth, a half step above the fifth of Dm, and it falls there.

Compare with

Listen for: The flat nine falls a half step to the fifth of the minor chord. On the plain seventh chord that string holds the root.

What to play over A7b9

Useful scales

Every scale

Chords near A7b9

Change one note

  • open strings
    open strings
    Bb → B

    Raise the flat ninth to the ninth.

    See A9 chord →
  • Bb → B#

    Replace the flat ninth with the sharp ninth.

    See A7#9 chord →

Altered dominant chords on every root

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in how this site is built.

Midi Settings

7.5
Play Style
One pass of the pick from the lowest string up, everything left ringing.
Instrument
350
150

Style

Shows each chord the way this style would voice it, and marks which of its alternatives belong to the idiom.

Layout

Left Handed Mode