6/9 Guitar Chords
major 6th with an added 9th
6/9 guitar chords are pentad or 5-note chords consisting of a major triad plus an added major 6th and 9th interval above the root ... but no 7th. It has a root, a major 3rd, a perfect 5th, a major 6th and added 9th.
Put simply, a 6/9 chord is a major 6th chord with an added 9th.
The chord formula for a 6/9 chord is 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 9
Example: Calculating E6/9
- 6/9 chords consist of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 9th notes of a Major Scale
- E chords are built around the E major scale. We need to extend the scale to include 9 notes as we need to add the 9th note which is one octave above the 2nd note.
- E major scale reads: E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D# - E - F#
- Formula for a 6/9 chord = 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 9
- Substitute notes into the formula (1=E, 3=G#, 5=B, 6=C#, 9=F#)
- The E6/9 chord reads: E - G# - B - C# - F# 👍
6/9 Chord Table
| 6/9 chord | A | B♭ | B | C | C# | D | E♭ | E | F | F# | G | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root | A | B♭ | B | C | C# | D | E♭ | E | F | F# | G | A♭ |
| Major 3rd | C# | D | D# | E | E#(F) | F# | G | G# | A | A# | B | C |
| Perfect 5th | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | B♭ | B | C | C# | D | E♭ |
| Major 6th | F# | G | G# | A | A# | B | C | C# | D | D# | E | F |
| Added 9th | B | C | C# | D | D# | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | B♭ |
6/9 Chords - Right Handers
Chord Chart Legend
6/9 Chords - Left Handers
Chord Chart Legend
6/9 guitar chords are seldom used in modern music. They are more widely used by Jazz guitarists who are always teasing and tantalizing with a wide variety of alternative chords looking for the perfect recipe to satiate the hungriest of enthusiasts! 
