Piano chord
B♭maj9B flat major ninth
- B♭1
- D3
- F5
- A7
- C9
- Notes
- 5
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 14semitones
- Fingers
- 5 + 1-3-5
How to play B♭maj9 on piano
- Find B♭: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Left hand: play B♭ with the little finger (5), an octave below the right hand.
- Right hand: 1 on D, 3 on A, 5 on C.
- Leave out F: the chord is still recognisable without it, and the hand stays relaxed.
- Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
Root position · B♭ – D – F – A – C
1st inversion · D – F – A – C – B♭
2nd inversion · F – A – C – B♭ – D
3rd inversion · A – C – B♭ – D – F
This chord has more notes than one hand holds comfortably; see the two-hand voicing below.
B♭maj9 inversions
Use these 4 positions to move between chords with as little hand movement as possible. Root position starts on B♭; the inversions start on the other notes of the chord.
- Root positionbass: B♭B♭ – D – F – A – C
- 1st inversionbass: DD – F – A – C – B♭
- 2nd inversionbass: FF – A – C – B♭ – D
- 3rd inversionbass: AA – C – B♭ – D – F
B♭maj9 with two hands
A practical voicing: the left hand plays B♭, the right hand plays the colour notes D–A–C. Notes that can be left out are left out.
B♭maj9 on other instruments
About the B♭maj9 chord
To build B flat major ninth, take these 5 notes from the root up: B♭ (1), D (3), F (5), A (7), C (9). A major ninth: a major seventh with the ninth. One of the most colourful major chords, used in jazz and modern pop.
On the keyboard, start from B♭ and add the other notes above it: B♭ – D – F – A – C. From the lowest to the highest key that is 14 semitones. It is too wide for one hand: play B♭ with the left hand and the rest with the right.
Each inversion of B♭maj9 puts a different note in the bass. In the 1st inversion the bass is D (D–F–A–C–B♭). In the 2nd inversion the bass is F (F–A–C–B♭–D). In the 3rd inversion the bass is A (A–C–B♭–D–F).
Compared with B♭maj7, B♭maj9 has one more note, C.
Questions
What notes are in the B♭maj9 chord?
B♭maj9 (B flat major ninth) has 5 notes: B♭ (1), D (3), F (5), A (7), C (9).
How many inversions does B♭maj9 have?
B♭maj9 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (B♭–D–F–A–C); 1st inversion (D–F–A–C–B♭); 2nd inversion (F–A–C–B♭–D); 3rd inversion (A–C–B♭–D–F).
What is the difference between B♭maj9 and B♭maj7?
Compared with B♭maj7, B♭maj9 has one more note, C.
Can I play B♭maj9 with one hand?
In root position B♭maj9 spans 14 semitones, more than an octave. Play the root with the left hand and the upper notes with the right, or leave out the fifth.