Arpeggio
C♯ m9
Minor
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9
- Notes
- C♯ E G♯ B D♯
Notation
Fretboard — frets 0–24
Degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C♯ | perfect unison | 0 | The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves. |
| ♭3 | E | minor third | 3 | The minor third — the dark counterpart of the major third; it turns a shape minor and colours m, m7 and the minor scales. |
| 5 | G♯ | perfect fifth | 7 | The perfect fifth — the root's strongest companion; it anchors every triad and stacked-seventh quality. |
| ♭7 | B | minor seventh | 10 | The minor seventh — the dominant's engine; a whole step under the root, it turns a triad into a 7 chord and drives the resolution. |
| 9 | D♯ | major ninth | 14 | The major ninth — the second degree an octave up; it adds shimmer to maj9, 6/9 and the m9 family without changing the harmony. |
About this arpeggio
The minor ninth chord extends the minor seventh with a ninth, adding velvet to an already soft harmony. The minor third keeps the dark colour, the seventh supplies the relaxed pull, and the ninth floats above like a distant bell. This is the sound of soul, R&B and contemporary jazz comping — rich but never harsh, because the ninth is consonant against both the minor third and the seventh. Players often drop the fifth to keep the voicing clear, so the arpeggio is a study in choosing notes rather than collecting them. Listen for the ninth against the minor third: that wide, warm interval is what makes the chord glow.
How to practise this arpeggio
- Play the ninth last and let it float above the minor seventh.
- Compare it with m7 and listen for the extra width at the top.
- Omit the fifth and check that the ninth still defines the colour.
- Improvise over a soul ballad using the ninth as a resting note.