Gbmaj9 Gb major ninth chord
- Notes
- Gb Bb Db F Ab
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9
- Semitones
- 0 4 7 11 14 above the root
- Also written
- F#maj9 (F# A# C# E# G#)
- Other symbols
- GbM9, GbΔ9
Gb to Bb is a major third (4 semitones), Bb to Db is a minor third (3 semitones), Db to F is a major third (4 semitones), F to Ab is a minor third (3 semitones). A major seventh (Gbmaj7) with the ninth, Ab, on top. The fifth, Db, is often left out on guitar.
Gbmaj9 on the piano
Root position from Gb4: Gb4, Bb4, Db5, F5, Ab5. Middle C is C4.
Gbmaj9 on the guitar
Standard tuning (E A D G B E). Strings run low E on the left to high e on the right, frets downwards; × is a muted string, ○ an open string, and each dot shows the note it sounds, with the root in blue-green. Every shape below has Gb as its lowest note.
2 1 3 1 2 x (low E to high e)
Sounds Gb2 Bb2 F3 Ab3 Db4
x 9 8 10 9 x (low E to high e)
Sounds Gb3 Bb3 F4 Ab4, fifth left out
The E-shape and A-shape grips are movable: an E-shape chord's root is the note under your first finger on the low E string, an A-shape chord's root is the note on the A string. Slide the same grip up or down to play major ninth chords on other roots.
Inversions of Gbmaj9
An inversion puts a note other than the root in the bass. The name is what semicord's chord finder calls those notes played bottom to top; a slash name like C/E means a C chord with E in the bass.
| Position | Notes, bass first | Named | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | Gb Bb Db F Ab | Gbmaj9 | |
| 1st inversion | Bb Db F Ab Gb | Gbmaj9/Bb | |
| 2nd inversion | Db F Ab Gb Bb | Gbmaj9/Db | |
| 3rd inversion | F Ab Gb Bb Db | Gbmaj9/F | |
| 4th inversion | Ab Gb Bb Db F | Gbmaj7/Ab (also read as Gbmaj9/Ab) |
Where Gbmaj9 fits
Gbmaj9 is Imaj9 in Gb major, IVmaj9 in Db major. Its upper four notes Bb Db F Ab are Bbm7: play that chord over a Gb bass and you have Gbmaj9.