Cm9 Guitar Chord

Cm9 is the C minor ninth chord. It has five notes: C, E flat, G, B flat and D. The shape on this page puts the root on the A string at the 3rd fret with one finger laid across the three strings above.

Root on the A string at the 3rd fret, with one finger laid across the top strings at the 3rd. Five strings, no full barre, movable.

How to play Cm9, step by step

Index finger: 1st fret, D string
Middle finger: 3rd fret, A string
Ring finger: press flat across the G to high E strings at fret 3
Strum from the A string down, skipping the low E.

Set the index at the 1st fret first, then lay the ring finger across the top three strings at the 3rd. Trying to place all the fingers at once is what makes this shape feel hard.

More ways to play Cm9

There are 2 common Cm9 shapes in total: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these, easiest first. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

Cm9 guitar chord diagram, barre at fret 8, played 8 10 8 8 8 10 — Barre at fret 8

If notes are missing

Strings under the ring finger are dead: It covers the G, B and high E strings at the 3rd fret. Straighten it and roll slightly onto the outer edge so the bone does the work.
Buzzing at the 1st fret: The index holds the D string near the nut, where strings are stiffest. Press harder here than you would higher up the neck.
The low E rings: Not part of the chord. Mute it with the fretting thumb, or start the strum on the A string.

What makes it a Cm9

C · E♭ · G · B♭ · D 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9

Cm9 is a Cm7 chord with a ninth added: C, E flat, G and B flat make Cm7, and the D on top makes it a ninth.

It is the ii chord in the key of B flat, so it turns up in the standard jazz move Cm9 to F9 to Bbmaj7. It also serves as a fuller C minor wherever a plain one would sound thin.

Cm9 vs Cm7

Cm9 is Cm7 with a D added. Cm7 is the plain, functional minor seventh; Cm9 is the same chord with a layer of colour that makes it sound intentional.

The two shapes are close on the neck, both rooted on the A string at the 3rd fret, so switching between them takes almost no movement.

Cm9 chord questions

What is the difference between Cm9 and Cm7?

Cm9 adds a D, the ninth, to the four notes of Cm7. It fills the same role in a progression and sounds noticeably richer.

Where does Cm9 fit in a progression?

It is the ii chord in B flat, and the first chord of the ii V I that runs Cm9, F9, Bbmaj7. It is also a common tonic minor in soul.

Is Cm9 the same as Cm add9?

No. Cm add9 has no seventh. Cm9 includes the B flat as well as the D.

Is Cm9 hard to play?

The shape needs one finger to cover three strings, which takes some practice, but there is no full barre and the hand stays within three frets.

Which strings do I strum?

Five, starting at the A string, so C is the lowest note in the chord.