Chord Shapes

Minor Added Ninth

Intervals: 1-b3-5-9. A minor triad with an added major 9th and no 7th. The 9th adds a lyrical, almost vocal quality to the chord while keeping the harmony relatively simple. In guitar-based pop and rock it is a common colour on tonic or vi chords, where the open-string 9th rings against the minor triad. In jazz ballads and film scores, m(add9) suggests gentle melancholy rather than stark sadness. Because there is no 7th, it does not strongly imply a ii or i7 function by itself, making it flexible as a tonic, subdominant or modal chord.