A Minor major ninth

Minor-major ninth (1–♭3–5–7–9); melodic-minor tonic extension with bright ninth.

minormM9mMaj9-^9

The minor-major ninth chord extends mM7 with a major ninth (1-♭3-5-7-9). It combines the bittersweet major seventh over a minor triad with the wide color of the ninth—classic melodic minor territory and a favorite color in modern jazz and cinematic harmony for haunted beauty with lift.

Construction

Start from 1-♭3-5-7 and add 9. In CmM9, include D as the ninth.

Usage

i∆9 colors, dramatic tonic arrivals, and reharmonizations where a minor chord needs both brightness and complexity.

Examples

Jazz tunes that tonicize melodic minor
Film scoring for bittersweet themes
Neo-soul progressions with extended tonic minor chords

Play

Separate the major seventh and ninth registrally when possible to avoid muddiness.

Ear-training cues

Minor third with major seventh and a bright ninth above the root.

Which intervals and notes are in the A Minor major ninth chord?

Intervals from the root that spell this chord and its chord tones.

Interval	semitones	Note
Perfect unison	0	A
Minor third	3	C
Perfect fifth	7	E
Major seventh	11	G♯
Major ninth	14	B

To which mode does A Minor major ninth belong?

Parent scales and degrees where this chord appears as a diatonic sonority.

Degree	Triad	Seventh	Extended	Scale
I	m	m/ma7	mM9	Harmonic minor
II	dim	m7♭5		Locrian sixth
III	aug	maj7♯5		Major augmented
IV	m	m7	m11	Dorian sharp four
V	M	7	7♭9♭13	Phrygian dominant
VI	M	maj7	maj9♯11	Lydian sharp ninth
VII	dim	dim7	alt7	Ultralocrian

Which scales can you play on the A Minor major ninth chord?

Scales that contain this chord’s notes and usually fit over it.

A Chromatic A Harmonic minor A Hungarian minor A Lydian diminished A Melodic minor A Messiaen's mode 3 A Messiaen's mode 7 A Minor ♭e♭op A Minor hexatonic A Minor six diminished

Practice the minor major ninth chord

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