Construction
A♭ Minor Add 9 = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th + Major 2nd = A♭, C♭, E♭, B♭
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | Root | 1 |
| C♭ | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| E♭ | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| B♭ | Major 2nd | 2 |
Fingering
| Note | Key color | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| A♭ | black | index finger (2) | little finger (5) |
| C♭ | white | middle finger (3) | ring finger (4) |
| E♭ | black | ring finger (4) | middle finger (3) |
| B♭ | black | little finger (5) | index finger (2) |
Right hand: index finger (2) on A♭, middle finger (3) on C♭, ring finger (4) on E♭, little finger (5) on B♭.
Left hand: little finger (5) on A♭, ring finger (4) on C♭, middle finger (3) on E♭, index finger (2) on B♭.
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the A♭ Minor Add 9 is the tonic (i) chord of A♭ Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, C♭ Major: 7 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭).
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭
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.
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭
Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
Chords in the Key of A♭ Minor
These are the triads built on each degree of A♭ Minor:
A♭ Minor Add 9 : Frequently Asked Questions
What is the A♭ Minor Add 9 chord on piano?
The A♭ Minor Add 9 chord contains the notes A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – B♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.