C Minor/major Ninth Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
C Minor/major Ninth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: C, Eb, G, B, D
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 5P, 7M, 9M
Formula: WH-2W-2W-WH
Number of notes: 5
Also known as: mM9, mMaj9, -^9
The C Minor/major Ninth arpeggio contains 5 notes (C, Eb, G, B, D). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the C Minor/major Ninth Arpeggio
Play the C Minor/major Ninth arpeggio whenever a C Minor/major Ninth chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The C Minor/major Ninth arpeggio uses 5 notes (C, Eb, G, B, D) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play C Minor/major Ninth Arpeggio on Guitar
Root your C Minor/major Ninth arpeggio at fret 8 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at 3rd fret on the A string. This 5-note arpeggio (C, Eb, G, B, D) benefits from economy picking, combining sweep and alternate picking motions. Practice isolating two-string pairs to build coordination before linking the full shape.
The C Minor/major Ninth arpeggio outlines a C minor chord and fits naturally over Cm, Cm7, Cm6 voicings. Use it to bring out the darker, expressive quality of minor harmony in your solos and melodies.
Practice Routine
Play the C Minor/major Ninth arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on C. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 5 notes (C, Eb, G, B, D). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the C Minor/major Ninth arpeggio using sweep picking across all six strings. Start with downstrokes ascending and upstrokes descending at a slow tempo, keeping each note separated rather than blurred. Mute unused strings with your fretting hand to keep the sound clean.
Related Resources
Explore C Minor/major Ninth in Other Tunings
- C Minor/major Ninth in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- C Minor/major Ninth in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- C Minor/major Ninth in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- C Minor/major Ninth in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- C Minor/major Ninth in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)