A7b9 Guitar Chord | Play, Hear and Practice Interactively

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A 7(b9) position 1 guitar chord diagram

A seventh flat nine is the full name of A7(b9), a chord of five notes: A, C#, E, G and Bb. Being a dominant chord, it most often pulls toward a minor chord whose root is a fourth above A.

Three voicings in total, from fret 3 to fret 12, and one of them is a barre shape. The A Half-Whole scale, the eight-note scale built from alternating half steps and whole steps, lines up with A7(b9), because it contains all five chord tones. Chords of this kind often turn up in jazz chord progressions.

Press play in the player at the top of the page to hear A7(b9) strummed, then picked as an arpeggio.

A 7th with flat 9th guitar chord is also written as A7(b9), A7b9 or A7-9.

Notes of the A 7(b9) chord:

A C# E G Bb

Chord Formula:

Formula: 1 3 5 b7 b9

A 7(B9) Guitar Chord Diagrams

Position 1 Movable

A 7(b9) position 1 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the B string
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 3 of the G string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 4 of the A string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 5 of the low E string
  • Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the D string

Position 2 Barre Movable

A 7(b9) position 2 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the A string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 5 of the low E, D and B strings at the same time
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 6 of the G string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 6 of the high E string

Position 3 Open

A 7(b9) position 3 guitar chord diagram

Finger Positions

  • Mute the low E string
  • Let the A string play without pressing any fret
  • Mute the high E string
  • Place your index finger (1) on the fret 11 of the D string
  • Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 11 of the B string
  • Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 12 of the G string

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Play This Chord With Other Roots

C 7(b9) | D 7(b9) | E 7(b9) | F 7(b9) | G 7(b9) | A 7(b9) | B 7(b9) | C#7(b9) | D#7(b9) | F#7(b9) | G#7(b9) | A#7(b9) | Ab7(b9) | Bb7(b9) | Db7(b9) | Eb7(b9) | Gb7(b9)

Giancarlo Facoetti, founder of FaChords Guitar

Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher

FAQ

What notes are in A7(b9)?

A, C#, E, G and Bb. The Bb is the flat ninth, a half step higher than A one octave up, and the other four notes form a plain A seventh chord.

What is the difference between A7(b9) and A7?

A7 contains A, C#, E and G. A7(b9) keeps those four notes and adds Bb, a half step higher than the root one octave up. That single added note gives the chord its darker, tenser sound.

Where does A7(b9) usually lead?

Like any dominant seventh, it tends to resolve a fourth higher, and with the flat ninth a minor chord is the natural target. Here that means D minor.

Which scale suits A7(b9)?

The A Phrygian Dominant scale, spelled A, Bb, C#, D, E, F and G, contains all five chord tones. It is the fifth mode of harmonic minor.

How many voicings are listed for the A seventh flat nine chord?

Three voicings are listed, from the third fret to the twelfth fret. One of them uses open strings and one is a barre voicing.