Skip to content

Guitar chords · Major 9th

Emaj9 chord on guitar

Emaj9 (E major 9th) has five notes: E, G♯, B, D♯ and F♯, the , 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Shapes

How to play Emaj9

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

Emaj9 has an , and one : the A shape at 7. A movable shape keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • Open (E shape)

    ×739ED♯G♯BF♯
  • A shape · fret 7

    6fr××R379EG♯D♯F♯
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes Emaj9 major 9th

A major 9th chord adds the 9th to a major . It is even softer and more open than maj7, a favourite of neo-soul, jazz and ballads. Keep the 3rd, the 7th and the 9th; drop the 5th first.

  • 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 Emaj9 a major 9th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. ERroot
  2. G♯3essential
  3. B5optional
  4. D♯7essential
  5. F♯9essential
EADGBE0135791215EEEEEEEEEF♯G♯BD♯F♯BD♯F♯G♯BD♯F♯G♯BD♯G♯BD♯F♯G♯BD♯F♯G♯BF♯G♯BD♯F♯
  • E, the root
  • Other chord tones

Keys

Keys with Emaj9

Emaj9 belongs to four keys: E major (Imaj9), B major (IVmaj9), C♯ minor (IIImaj9) and G♯ minor (VImaj9).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

Emaj9 over another bass note

A keeps Emaj9 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • Emaj9/G♯

    Emaj9 with its 3rd, G♯, in the bass.

  • Emaj9/B

    Emaj9 with its 5th, B, in the bass.

  • Emaj9/D♯

    Emaj9 with its 7th, D♯, in the bass.

Questions

Emaj9, in short

What notes are in the Emaj9 chord?
Emaj9 (E major 9th) has five notes: E, G♯, B, D♯ and F♯, the , 3, 5, 7 and 9.
How do you play Emaj9 on guitar?
Emaj9 has an , and one : the A shape at 7.
What key is Emaj9 in?
Emaj9 belongs to four keys: E major (Imaj9), B major (IVmaj9), C♯ minor (IIImaj9) and G♯ minor (VImaj9).
All guitar chords