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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 Chart Legend

6/9 Chords - Left Handers

Chord Chart Legend Major Guitar Chords for Lefties
Lefties: A6/9 - C6/9
Lefties: C#6/9 - E6/9
Lefties: F6/9 - Ab6/9

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! The Jazz Player

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