Chord

B♭ 9 Chord

B♭DFA♭C
View on: Theory PianoGuitarUkuleleMandolin

Interactive keyboard

Highlighted notes form this chord.

Notes

B♭ · D · F · A♭ · C

Root: B♭

Intervals

1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9

How it is built

This chord starts on B♭ and applies the intervals 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9. The result contains 5 distinct pitch classes per octave.

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Guide and musical context

About B♭ 9 Chord

B♭ 9 Chord contains B♭, D, F, A♭, C. Its sound is rich and tense, extending the dominant with a ninth.

Character and sound

Rich and tense, extending the dominant with a ninth.

Musical context and history

The dominant ninth extends a 7 chord while keeping its dominant tension. It is classic vocabulary in jazz, blues, funk, soul and R&B.

How and where it is used

It may resolve as a dominant or act as a stable vamp in groove-based styles.

In Theory view you can hear the pitch collection without depending on a specific fingering. Then switch to Piano, Guitar, Ukulele or Mandolin to see how the same notes are physically distributed on each instrument.

Harmonic and musical relationships

As a dominant sonority on B♭, a common functional resolution moves toward E♭. Alterations and extensions change the color while preserving that tension-and-resolution reference.

The formula on this page is 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 and, from B♭, produces the notes B♭ · D · F · A♭ · C.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭ 9 Chord?

The notes are B♭, D, F, A♭, C.

What is its interval formula?

The formula is 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9.

How does it sound and what is it used for?

Rich and tense, extending the dominant with a ninth. It may resolve as a dominant or act as a stable vamp in groove-based styles.

Can I view it on a specific instrument?

Yes. Use the selector near the top to switch between Piano, Guitar, Ukulele and Mandolin without changing the musical combination you are studying.