Piano chord
Fm(add9)F minor added ninth
- F1
- A♭♭3
- C5
- G9
- Notes
- 4
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 14semitones
- Fingers
- 1-2-3-5
How to play Fm(add9) on piano
- Find F: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Right hand: 1 on F, 2 on A♭, 3 on C, 5 on G.
- Or with the left hand: 5 on F, 4 on A♭, 3 on C, 1 on G.
- Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
Root position · F – A♭ – C – G
1st inversion · A♭ – C – G – F
2nd inversion · C – G – F – A♭
3rd inversion · G – F – A♭ – C
Numbers on the keys are fingers: 1 thumb, 2 index, 3 middle, 4 ring, 5 little finger.
Fm(add9) inversions
Use these 4 positions to move between chords with as little hand movement as possible. Root position starts on F; the inversions start on the other notes of the chord.
- Root positionbass: FRight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 1st inversionbass: A♭Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 2nd inversionbass: CRight hand 1-2-4-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
- 3rd inversionbass: GRight hand 1-3-4-5 · Left hand 5-3-2-1
Fm(add9) with two hands
A full sound: the left hand plays F an octave lower, the right hand plays F–A♭–C–G.
Fm(add9) on other instruments
About the Fm(add9) chord
To build F minor added ninth, take these 4 notes from the root up: F (1), A♭ (♭3), C (5), G (9). A minor added ninth: a minor triad plus the ninth. Wistful and modern, a common substitute for the plain minor chord.
The keys are F – A♭ – C – G, counted up from F; the distance from the lowest to the highest key is 14 semitones. Few hands reach that far, so share Fm(add9) between both hands, with F in the left.
In the inversions of Fm(add9) the root moves up and another note takes the bass. In the 1st inversion the bass is A♭ (A♭–C–G–F). In the 2nd inversion the bass is C (C–G–F–A♭). In the 3rd inversion the bass is G (G–F–A♭–C).
Compared with Fm, Fm(add9) has one more note, G.
Questions
What notes are in the Fm(add9) chord?
Fm(add9) (F minor added ninth) has 4 notes: F (1), A♭ (♭3), C (5), G (9).
How many inversions does Fm(add9) have?
Fm(add9) can be played in 4 positions: Root position (F–A♭–C–G); 1st inversion (A♭–C–G–F); 2nd inversion (C–G–F–A♭); 3rd inversion (G–F–A♭–C).
What is the difference between Fm(add9) and Fm?
Compared with Fm, Fm(add9) has one more note, G.
Can I play Fm(add9) with one hand?
In root position Fm(add9) 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.