E♭9 chord on guitar

E♭9 is E♭, G, B♭, D♭ and F. The easiest shape is x-x-1-0-2-1. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

x-x-1-0-2-1 · open · easy

Notes: E♭ · G · B♭ · D♭ · F
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9
First shape: x-x-1-0-2-1

How to play E♭9 on guitar

Shape 1, x-x-1-0-2-1, reading from the low E string on the left:

Put your index finger on the D string at the 1st fret, which is E♭.
Put your middle finger on the high E string at the 1st fret, which is F.
Put your ring finger on the B string at the 2nd fret, which is D♭.
The open G string adds G; don't touch it.
Skip the low E and A strings and begin the strum from the D string.

If an open string sounds dead, a fingertip is leaning on it. Come down more on the tips, with your knuckles bent.
Aim the strum at the thinner strings only; the lower ones are marked × for a reason.

Other ways to play E♭9

11-13-11-12-11-13: barre shape at the 11th fret, medium. Built on the E9 open shape with the barre as a movable nut; the root is on the 6th string.
11-8-8-8-8-9: partial barre shape at the 8th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.
x-6-5-6-6-x: movable shape at the 5th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.

Playing E♭9 with a capo

No barre needed if a capo is allowed: capo on the 3rd fret and play the open C9 shape (x-3-2-3-3-3). The chord sounds as E♭9 because the capo raises every string by 3 half steps.

Moving between E♭9 and its neighbours

Songs rarely hold E♭9 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

A♭ (dominant, pulls to the chord a fifth below): E♭9 (x-x-1-0-2-1) to A♭ (4-6-6-5-4-4): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 4th fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 5th fret, the ring finger goes to the A string, 6th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the D string, 6th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. Shared note: E♭. A♭ on guitar
A♭maj7 (I in A♭ major): E♭9 (x-x-1-0-2-1) to A♭maj7 (4-6-5-5-4-4): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 4th fret, move the middle finger to the D string, 5th fret, your ring finger lands on the G string, 5th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the A string, 6th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. Shared notes: E♭ and G. A♭maj7 on guitar
Fm7 (vi in A♭ major): E♭9 (x-x-1-0-2-1) to Fm7 (1-3-1-1-1-1): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 1st fret, move the middle finger to the A string, 3rd fret. Shared notes: E♭ and F. Fm7 on guitar

E♭9 is a dominant ninth: E♭7 with the ninth on top. E♭9 is the funk and soul version of E♭7, fuller on top and still pulling toward its resolution. On guitar you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

Practice E♭9 in two minutes

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: E♭, G, D♭, F. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Finish by moving between x-x-1-0-2-1 and 11-13-11-12-11-13 to learn two positions of the same chord.

Written D♯9, it's the same chord with the same frets.

Keys and progressions with E♭9

E♭9 on piano and ukulele

Switching instruments? Try E♭9 on ukulele or E♭9 on piano, or compare them on the E♭9 chord page.

Next to try on guitar

Other dominant ninth chords

E♭9 on guitar: questions

What notes are in E♭9 on guitar?

E♭, G, B♭, D♭ and F. In the x-x-1-0-2-1 shape the strings play E♭ (D string), G (G string, open), D♭ (B string) and F (high E string).

What's the easiest way to play E♭9 on guitar?

x-x-1-0-2-1, the shape at the top of this page. No barre: some strings ring open.

Is E♭9 a barre chord on guitar?

Not in its common form: x-x-1-0-2-1 needs no barre. Barre forms exist up the neck if you want a different sound.

Which string does E♭9 start on?

In the x-x-1-0-2-1 shape the lowest string you play is the D string at the 1st fret, which is E♭, the root. Skip the low E and A strings.

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside E♭9. Updated September 2026.