Minor Ninth Chord Guitar Fingerings

"Minor Ninth" chords present an interesting challenge on guitar because the ninth is so close to the root and third. You have to make some choices about where you place the 9th or the 3rd and whether to omit another a particular chord tone.

First, lets look at the structure of the chord. Am9 chord is spelled A C E G B.

This first example is my all time favorite voicing because the clash of the 9th (B on the G string) and 3rd (C on the B string). This is the "A" form that can be taken up the neck. The example shows 2 chords at once: Am9 and  Em9. This does require a little stretch but is essential if you want the dark sounding tension between the 3rd and 9th. This voicing is omitting the 7th scale degree (G) but there are several ways to add that G in or substitute another note.

For example, just at the G on the E string in the Am9 chord. Since the bass player is playing the root already.

.