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Guitar chords · Dominant 7th sharp 9th

A7♯9 chord on guitar (A7#9)

A7♯9 (A sharp 9th) has five notes: A, C♯, E, G and B♯ (played as C), the , 3, 5, ♭7 and ♯9.

Shapes

How to play A7♯9

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

A7♯9 has no common . Play it as the E shape at 5 or the A shape at fret 12. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • E shape · fret 5

    5fr×R♭73♭7♯9AGC♯GB♯
  • A shape · fret 12

    11fr××R3♭7♯9AC♯GB♯
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes A7♯9 dominant 7th sharp 9th

A 7♯9 chord is a chord with a raised 9th on top. The ♯9 sounds like a minor 3rd against the major 3rd, a deliberate clash; the chord is known as the Hendrix chord, at home in blues, funk and rock.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The 3rd, the ♭7th and the ♯9th make A7♯9 a sharp 9th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. ARroot
  2. C♯3essential
  3. E5optional
  4. G♭7essential
  5. B♯♯9essential
EADGBE0135791215AAAAAAAAEGB♯C♯EGB♯C♯EGB♯EGB♯C♯EGB♯C♯EGB♯C♯EGB♯C♯EGB♯C♯EG
  • A, the root
  • Other chord tones

As a V chord, A7♯9 resolves to D or, more often, Dm: the V7♯9–i move.

Keys

Keys with A7♯9

A7♯9 fits no major or minor key: its ♯9 (B♯, usually written C) rubs against the major 3rd on purpose. It is the sound of blues, funk and rock, played as the I chord of a blues in A or as a V chord resolving to D.

Slash chords

A7♯9 over another bass note

A keeps A7♯9 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • A7♯9/C♯

    A7♯9 with its 3rd, C♯, in the bass.

  • A7♯9/E

    A7♯9 with its 5th, E, in the bass.

  • A7♯9/G

    A7♯9 with its ♭7th, G, in the bass.

Questions

A7♯9, in short

What notes are in the A7♯9 chord?
A7♯9 (A sharp 9th) has five notes: A, C♯, E, G and B♯ (played as C), the , 3, 5, ♭7 and ♯9.
How do you play A7♯9 on guitar?
A7♯9 has no common . Play it as the E shape at 5 or the A shape at fret 12.
What key is A7♯9 in?
A7♯9 fits no major or minor key: its ♯9 (B♯, usually written C) rubs against the major 3rd on purpose. It is the sound of blues, funk and rock, played as the I chord of a blues in A or as a V chord resolving to D.
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