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Chord · Reference entry

G♭ 6/9

6/9 · G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – E♭ – A♭ · intervals P1-M3-P5-M6-M9

The G♭ 6/9 chord (G♭6/9) contains the notes G♭, B♭, D♭, E♭, and A♭. Its interval formula is R-M3-P5-M6-M9. Major triad plus the 6th and the 9th — a lush, open voicing that's the go-to jazz ending chord.

F♯ 6/9
This is the same chord as F♯ 6/9 — the same keys on the keyboard, spelled with sharps.

At the keyboard

Gb · Bb · Db · Eb · Ab
Flashcards · Chord
Three questions on G♭ 6/9
Answer on the keyboard, not with buttons. No login required.
G♭6/9

The G♭ 6/9 chord is a five-note chord made up of G♭, B♭, D♭, E♭, and A♭. It is built from a root, major third, perfect fifth, major sixth, and major ninth.

Construction

G♭ 6/9 = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Major 6th + Major 2nd = G♭ · B♭ · D♭ · E♭ · A♭
NoteIntervalDegree
G♭Root1
B♭Major 3rd3
D♭Perfect 5th5
E♭Major 6th6
A♭Major 2nd2

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the G♭ 6/9 is the tonic (I) chord of Gb Major, whose key signature has 6 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭).

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭

Order of flats

Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.

BEADGCF

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Chords in the Key of G♭ Major

These are the triads built on each degree of the G♭ major scale:

C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8G♭B♭D♭
IG♭ Major (major)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1IG♭ MajorMajor
2iiA♭ MinorMinor
3iiiB♭ MinorMinor
4IVB MajorMajor
5VD♭ MajorMajor
6viE♭ MinorMinor
7vii°F DiminishedDiminished

Same Notes, Other Names

The notes G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – E♭ – A♭ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:

G♭ 6/9 — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the G♭ 6/9 chord on piano?
The G♭ 6/9 chord contains the notes G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – E♭ – A♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the Gb 6/9 chord?
The Gb 6/9 chord (Gb6/9) contains 5 notes: Gb, Bb, Db, Eb, Ab. Formula: R-M3-P5-M6-M9.
How is Gb6/9 used in music?
Gb6/9 is used in jazz, fusion, and contemporary music to add harmonic color. It appears as a dominant or tonic chord depending on context.
What is the scale degree formula for Gb6/9?
Gb6/9 uses scale degrees 1-3-5-6-9, giving it its distinctive sound.

Related Tools

Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.

References & Further Reading

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this chord page are grounded in the following sources. Public domain treatises and scores are linked to their full text; primary data is piano.org's own interval-derived reference dataset — continuously maintained and human-verified, with no fixed publication date.

  1. 1

    Goetschius, Percy(1889)

    The Material Used in Musical Composition

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Riemann, Hugo(1896)

    Harmony Simplified (English translation)

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Schubert, Franz(1827)

    Impromptu in G♭ major, Op. 90 No. 3 (D. 899)

    Public domain score
  4. 4

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Entry reviewed and maintained by Justin Evans. Corrections are read and applied.Report an error

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