E Minor Ninth Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
E Minor Ninth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: E, G, B, D, F#
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 5P, 7m, 9M
Formula: WH-2W-WH-2W
Number of notes: 5
Also known as: m9, -9
The E Minor Ninth arpeggio contains 5 notes (E, G, B, D, F#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the E Minor Ninth Arpeggio
Play the E Minor Ninth arpeggio whenever a E Minor 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 E Minor Ninth arpeggio uses 5 notes (E, G, B, D, F#) 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 E Minor Ninth Arpeggio on Guitar
Start the E Minor Ninth arpeggio in open position, using the open E string as your root. This 5-note arpeggio (E, G, B, D, F#) benefits from economy picking, combining sweep and alternate picking motions. Practice isolating two-string pairs to build coordination before linking the full shape.
The E Minor Ninth arpeggio outlines a E minor chord and fits naturally over Em, Em7, Em6 voicings. Use it to bring out the darker, expressive quality of minor harmony in your solos and melodies.
Practice Routine
Play the E Minor Ninth arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on E. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 5 notes (E, G, B, D, F#). 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 E Minor 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 E Minor Ninth in Other Tunings
- E Minor Ninth in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Minor Ninth in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- E Minor Ninth in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- E Minor Ninth in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- E Minor Ninth in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- E Minor Ninth in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- E Minor Ninth in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- E Minor Ninth in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- E Minor Ninth in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- E Minor Ninth in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- E Minor Ninth in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- E Minor Ninth in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- E Minor Ninth in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Minor Ninth in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)