G# 7♭9 - PIANO
Chord composition
| I | III | V | ♭VII | ♭IX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root | Major third | Perfect fifth | Minor seventh | Minor ninth |
| G# | C | D# | F# | A |
ALL ABOUT THE G# 7♭9 CHORD
Chord Composition
The G# 7♭9 chord is composed of 5 notes :
- G# (Root)
- C (Major third)
- D# (Perfect fifth)
- F# (Minor seventh)
- A (Minor ninth)
These notes form a seventh chord with minor ninth, creating dark tension.
How to play G# 7♭9 on piano
The 7b9 chord G# 7♭9 is a 7 chord (1-3-5-7b) with a minor ninth (b9) instead of major ninth.
- Dark tension: the b9 creates strong and dramatic dissonance
- Jazz and blues: signature color of bebop and modern jazz
- Powerful resolution: the b9 creates strong pull toward tonic
- Hendrix chord: popularized in psychedelic rock (E7#9 often mistakenly called 7b9)
The minor ninth (a semitone above the root) creates a very tense cluster, perfect for dramatic resolutions in jazz.
Bebop color
The 7b9 chord defines bebop:
- Voicings without fifth: 1-3-7-b9 emphasizes tension
- Half-whole scale: the chord comes from this symmetrical scale
- V7b9-I resolution: more tense than simple V7-I
Common uses of G# 7♭9
The 7b9 chord creates intense resolutions:
- Bebop: characteristic altered dominant
- Modern jazz: maximum tension before resolution
- Jazz blues: sophisticated turnarounds
- Flamenco: Spanish harmonic color
Styles
Bebop: defines modern jazz sound.
Flamenco: characteristic harmonic tension.
Jazz blues: sophisticated cadences.