Chord Colors

A sharp nine flat five chord
PianoGuitar

About the A sharp nine flat five chord

A sharp nine flat five sits outside the plain diatonic set, so it is borrowed to add color and tension. Think of it as an A♯ dominant ninth flat five chord.

Its notes are A♯, C♯♯, E, G♯, and B♯. The intervals are a major third, a diminished fifth, a minor seventh, and a major ninth.

Also called B flat nine flat five, which spells the same notes enharmonically.

Inversions

Position 1 of 5

A sharp nine flat five (root position)

Notes and intervals

1A#A♯Root
2C##C♯♯Major 3rd
3EEDiminished 5th
4G#G♯Minor 7th
5B#B♯Major 9th

Shapes

Chromatic

CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭B

Circle of Fifths

CGDAEBF♯G♭C♯D♭G♯A♭D♯E♭A♯B♭F

Other A sharp chords

Simpler triads

A sharp five chordA sharp major chordA sharp minor chordA sharp diminished chordA sharp augmented chord

Suspended

A sharp suspended two chordA sharp suspended four chordA sharp seven suspended four chordA sharp nine suspended four chordA sharp thirteen suspended four chord

Sixths and sevenths

A sharp six chordA sharp minor six chordA sharp minor flat six chordA sharp seven chordA sharp major seven chordA sharp minor seven chordA sharp minor seven flat five chordA sharp diminished seven chordA sharp minor major seven chordA sharp major seven flat five chordA sharp major seven sharp five chordA sharp minor major seven flat five chord

Extensions

A sharp nine chordA sharp add nine chordA sharp major nine chordA sharp minor nine chordA sharp eleven chordA sharp thirteen chordA sharp six nine chordA sharp minor add nine chordA sharp major eleven chordA sharp major thirteen chordA sharp minor eleven chordA sharp minor thirteen chordA sharp minor six nine chordA sharp minor major nine chordA sharp minor major eleven chord

Altered

A sharp seven sharp five chordA sharp seven flat five chordA sharp seven flat nine chordA sharp seven sharp nine chordA sharp nine sharp eleven chordA sharp nine sharp five chord

Functional relationships

These chords are where this one most naturally comes from and resolves to inside a key.

Relative minor

G minor chord Learn more about Relative minor

The relative minor uses the same notes and key signature, so it works as a calmer, darker home base.

Parallel minor

A sharp minor chord Learn more about Parallel minor

The parallel minor keeps the same root note but lowers the third, giving the same key a darker, sadder sound.

Dominant

F major chord Learn more about Dominant

The dominant is a fifth above the root, and it builds tension that pulls strongly back to this chord.

Subdominant

D sharp major chord Learn more about Subdominant

The subdominant is a fourth above the root (a fifth below), and it usually leads on to the dominant or back home.

Tritone substitution

E nine flat five chord Learn more about Tritone substitution

The tritone substitution is a dominant chord a tritone away that shares the same tension, so it can stand in for this chord and resolve the same way.

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A♯9♭5 chord on piano shown as colored note dots
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