Major 9th Guitar Chords
maj7 with an added 9th- Major 9th chords are 5-note chords spanning 14 semitones - octave plus a major second or 2 semitones.
- Written as maj9 or △9 with maj9 most commonly used.
- They are called compound intervals as they span more than an octave.
- Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth, major 7th, major 9th.
- Chord formula: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9
- In the following example, we calculate the notes of a Gmaj9 chord:
| Chord Name + (other less-common names) | Gmaj9 (G△) |
| G Major Scale (Parent Scale of Gmaj9) | G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G - A |
| Chord Formula for maj9 chords | 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 |
| Chord Notes (after applying the formula to the Scale) | G - B - D - F# - A |
| Chord notes on the Treble Clef |
|
| (maj9) | 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 7th | G# | A | A# | B | B#(C) | C# | D | D# | E | E#(F) | F# | G |
| Major 9th | B | C | C# | D | D# | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | B♭ |
Major 9th Chords - RH / LH
▶︎ Chord Chart Legend
Right Handers
↓ major 9th guitar chords - Part 1
Left Handers
↓ major 9th guitar chords for Lefties - Part 1
↓ major 9th guitar chords - Part 1
Left Handers
↓ major 9th guitar chords for Lefties - Part 1
Right Handers
↓ major 9th guitar chords - Part 2
Left Handers
↓ major 9th guitar chords for Lefties - Part 2
↓ major 9th guitar chords - Part 2
Left Handers
↓ major 9th guitar chords for Lefties - Part 2
Right Handers
↓ major 9th guitar chords - Part 3
Left Handers
↓ major 9th guitar chords for Lefties - Part 3
↓ major 9th guitar chords - Part 3
Left Handers
↓ major 9th guitar chords for Lefties - Part 3
Difference between 9 and maj9 chords
Don't confuse a 9 chord with a maj9 chord.
🔹A ninth chord is built on a dominant or flattened 7th chord
🔹A major 9th chord is built on a major 7th chord.
- Formula for a 9 chord:
1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 (dom 7th chord with an added 9th) - Formula for a maj9 chord:
1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 (maj 7th chord with an added 9th)
Practice songs featuring maj9 chords:
| Song / Artist | Capo | Key | Core Chords |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close To You by The Carpenterss | - | G→A♭ | C, D, B, B7sus4 Bm7, Em, E7, G7, Gmaj7→Ab, Abmaj9, C7sus4, Cm7, Db, Fm7 |
| Girl From Ipanema by Frank Sinatra and Antônio Carlos Jobim | - | F | Fmaj7, Fmaj9, G♭7, G♭maj7, G♭maj9, G♭9, G7, Gm7, Am7, C♭9, C7(♭9), D7(♭9), D9, E♭9, F#m7 |
| Kiss me by Sixpence None the Richer | +3 | C | C, Dm, Em, Fmaj7, Fmaj9, G, Gsus, Am7 |
