A minor six-nine

Am6/9

Also written Am69 · A−6/9

NotesA · C · E · F♯ · B
Formula1 · ♭3 · 5 · 6 · 9
A1C♭3E5B9F♯6
All its notes, from the root

Minor 6/9 — the tonic of dorian and melodic minor. Minor 3rd, major 6th and 9th: dark and bright in one chord. Without the 6th it is Am(add9).

How pianists voice Am6/9

Nobody plays a jazz chord in root position. These are the shapes that actually get played — the same ones Cadenza shows when you play the chord.

Shell Left hand

A1C♭3F♯6

1 · ♭3 · 6 — root, 3rd and 6th: the three notes that say what the chord is. Left hand, low; everything else is colour.

Rootless A From the 3rd

C♭3E5B9F♯6

♭3 · 5 · 6 · 9 — no root: the bass player has it. The left-hand voicing of modern jazz piano. Without A underneath, the same keys read as Cmaj7(♯11) — the bass turns them into Am6/9.

Rootless B From the 6th

B9C♭3E5F♯6

6 · 9 · ♭3 · 5 — the other half of the pair. A and B alternate through a ii–V–I so the hand barely moves.

Drop 2 Two hands

E5A1C♭3F♯6

5 · 1 · ♭3 · 6 — close position with the second voice from the top dropped an octave: wider, warmer, the standard for chord melody.

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