Piano chord
F♯m9F sharp minor ninth
- F♯1
- A♭3
- C♯5
- E♭7
- G♯9
- Notes
- 5
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 14semitones
- Fingers
- 5 + 1-3-5
How to play F♯m9 on piano
- Find F♯: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Left hand: play F♯ with the little finger (5), an octave below the right hand.
- Right hand: 1 on A, 3 on E, 5 on G♯.
- Leave out C♯: 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 · F♯ – A – C♯ – E – G♯
1st inversion · A – C♯ – E – G♯ – F♯
2nd inversion · C♯ – E – G♯ – F♯ – A
3rd inversion · E – G♯ – F♯ – A – C♯
This chord has more notes than one hand holds comfortably; see the two-hand voicing below.
F♯m9 inversions
Here are all 4 positions of F♯m9. The notes stay the same, only their order changes: root position has F♯ at the bottom, and every inversion starts on the next chord tone.
- Root positionbass: F♯F♯ – A – C♯ – E – G♯
- 1st inversionbass: AA – C♯ – E – G♯ – F♯
- 2nd inversionbass: C♯C♯ – E – G♯ – F♯ – A
- 3rd inversionbass: EE – G♯ – F♯ – A – C♯
F♯m9 with two hands
A practical voicing: the left hand plays F♯, the right hand plays the colour notes A–E–G♯. Notes that can be left out are left out.
F♯m9 on other instruments
About the F♯m9 chord
The 5 notes of F sharp minor ninth are F♯ (1), A (♭3), C♯ (5), E (♭7), G♯ (9). A minor ninth: a minor seventh with the ninth. Lush and mellow, heard in neo-soul and jazz ballads.
Put your thumb on F♯ and count up: F♯ – A – C♯ – E – G♯. The whole chord spans 14 semitones from bottom to top. That is wider than an octave, so most pianists split F♯m9: F♯ in the left hand, the upper notes in the right.
The inversions of F♯m9 keep the same notes in a new order. In the 1st inversion the bass is A (A–C♯–E–G♯–F♯). In the 2nd inversion the bass is C♯ (C♯–E–G♯–F♯–A). In the 3rd inversion the bass is E (E–G♯–F♯–A–C♯).
Add G♯ to F♯m7 and you have F♯m9.
Questions
What notes are in the F♯m9 chord?
F♯m9 (F sharp minor ninth) has 5 notes: F♯ (1), A (♭3), C♯ (5), E (♭7), G♯ (9).
How many inversions does F♯m9 have?
F♯m9 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (F♯–A–C♯–E–G♯); 1st inversion (A–C♯–E–G♯–F♯); 2nd inversion (C♯–E–G♯–F♯–A); 3rd inversion (E–G♯–F♯–A–C♯).
What is the difference between F♯m9 and F♯m7?
Add G♯ to F♯m7 and you have F♯m9.
Can I play F♯m9 with one hand?
In root position F♯m9 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.