Major 9th Chord (maj9) on guitar

A major 9th chord adds the ninth to a major 7th chord, a lush, open jazz and neo soul sound.

About the Major 9th Chord

Cmaj9 is C, E, G, B and D. The 9th is the 2nd, an octave up.

Guitarists usually drop the 5th to fit the chord on four strings.

Use it in place of a major 7th chord for a fuller sound.

Intervals

• 1: Root, 0 semitones above the root
• 3: Major 3rd, 4 semitones above the root
• 5: Perfect 5th, 7 semitones above the root
• 7: Major 7th, 11 semitones above the root
• 9: 9th, 14 semitones above the root

Major 9th Chord charts in all 12 keys

Each chart shows the strings from the thick low E on the left to the thin high e on the right. Numbers in the dots are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little, T thumb. × marks a muted string and ○ an open one. A bar across strings is a barre.

Scales to play over Cmaj9

Each of these scales, started on C, holds every note of the chord:

• C Major Scale (Ionian)
• C Harmonic Major
• C Lydian Mode
• C Ichikosucho
• C Taishikicho
• C Bebop Major
• C Bebop Dominant
• C Nine Tone Scale

More chord types

• Minor Major 7th Chord (mMaj7)
• Minor 9th Chord (m9)
• All chord types