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Dominant 9th ♭5 Chords on Piano

The dominant 9th ♭5 chord combines a flattened fifth with the ninth extension over a dominant 7th foundation. The ♭5 creates a tritone substitute quality while the 9th adds jazz sophistication. It appears in bebop and post-bop as a reharmonization tool and works anywhere a tritone substitution or Lydian Dominant color is desired.

Formula: Root – Major 3rd – Diminished 5th – Minor 7th – Major 9th
Scale degrees: 1–3–♭5–♭7–9
Sound: Sophisticated, tritone-sub, angular, bebop
Symbol: 9♭5 (C9♭5)

Dominant 9th ♭5 Chord in All 18 Keys