Gm9 Guitar Chord

Gm9 is the G minor ninth chord. It has five notes: G, B flat, D, F and A. There is no open shape, so it is played as a barre at the 3rd fret with the ninth on the top string.

Index barred at the 3rd fret with the root on the low E, and the ninth up on the high E string. Six strings, movable: this grip is any minor ninth chord.

How to play Gm9, step by step

Index finger: press flat across the low E to B strings at fret 3
Ring finger: 5th fret, A string
Pinky finger: 5th fret, high E string
Strum all six strings.

This is the movable minor ninth grip. Slide it down three frets and it is Em9; up two and it is Am9. The hand never changes.

More ways to play Gm9

There are 2 common Gm9 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.

Gm9 guitar chord diagram, barre at fret 10, played x 10 8 10 10 10 — Barre at fret 10

If the barre lets notes drop

Strings under the barre are dead: Roll the index onto its outer edge so the bone holds the strings, and keep it right behind the 3rd fret.
The ninth on top is missing: The pinky takes the high E at the 5th fret. Without it the chord is Gm7, so check that string on its own.
The chord sounds thick: Six strings and five notes is a dense chord. Play it lightly and let the top strings speak rather than digging in.

What makes it a Gm9

G · B♭ · D · F · A 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9

Gm9 is a Gm7 chord with a ninth added: G, B flat, D and F make Gm7, and the A on top makes it a ninth.

It is the ii chord in the key of F, so it heads the ii V I that runs Gm9, C9, Fmaj9. Minor ninths also work as tonic chords in soul and funk, where a plain minor seventh can sound too simple.

Gm9 vs Gm7

Gm9 is Gm7 with an A added. Both are barre shapes at the 3rd fret, so the change is one finger and a large change in colour.

Gm7 is the plainer, more neutral chord and fits almost anywhere. Gm9 sounds deliberate, which is exactly what you want at the start of a ii V I.

Gm9 chord questions

What is the difference between Gm9 and Gm7?

Gm9 adds an A, the ninth, to the four notes of Gm7. Same job in a progression, richer sound.

Is there a Gm9 without a barre?

The five string shape further down the page uses no full barre: the index takes one string and another finger lays across the top three. It sits higher up the neck.

Where does Gm9 fit in a progression?

It is the ii chord in F. The standard jazz move from here is Gm9 to C9 to Fmaj9, and this page links to both.

Is Gm9 the same as Gm add9?

No. Gm add9 has no seventh in it. Gm9 contains the F as well as the A.

Do you strum all six strings?

Yes. In the barre shape every string sounds a note of the chord.