Major ninth chord
The major ninth chord: a major seventh chord with the ninth added. It sounds lush, open and stable, and it is common in jazz and pop. Spelled in all twelve keys, with guitar shapes and piano diagrams.
On C
- Symbol
- Cmaj9
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9
- Notes
- 5
- Also written
- CM9 · CΔ9
What it sounds like
Cmaj9 is C, E, G, B and D: a major seventh chord with the ninth, D, added. The major seventh, B, sits a semitone below the octave and clashes with the root. The ninth, D, sits a major second above the root and forms a second against the third. Together these notes give the chord a lush, bright colour that is more open than Cmaj7. Its tension is moderate and the sound is settled, so it works as a tonic rather than a dominant.
How it is used
Major ninth chords are built on the tonic, as Imaj9, and on the subdominant, as IVmaj9, in major keys. Jazz uses Imaj9 as a common final tonic, and pop and soul use it for warm, open endings. The chord rests, so it tends to move to a subdominant or to the submediant, vi. Because its seventh and ninth are added colours, the chord works as a final tonic rather than a dominant, and it suits lush, slow arrangements.
How it is built
The major ninth is a root with a major third, a perfect fifth, a major seventh and a major ninth, 0, 4, 7, 11 and 14 semitones above the root. Common symbols are Cmaj9, CM9, CΔ9 and C△9. Cmaj9 contains the notes of Cmaj7 and Cadd9 together, so both chords sit inside it. Its inversions place E, G, B or D in the bass. Lowering the B to B♭ turns Cmaj9 into C9, the dominant ninth.
How to practise it
Play Cmaj7, then Cadd9, then Cmaj9 with the same hand position, and identify the note each one adds. Then play Cmaj9 and lower the B to B♭ to hear it turn into C9, the dominant ninth. The change is one semitone, and it moves the chord from tonic to dominant.
Major ninth chord in every key
Every chord is spelled by letter name. Click a symbol for its page, with inversions and guitar shapes.
| Chord | Notes | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Cmaj9 | C E G B D | |
| C♯maj9 | C♯ E♯ G♯ B♯ D♯ | |
| D♭maj9 | D♭ F A♭ C E♭ | |
| Dmaj9 | D F♯ A C♯ E | |
| E♭maj9 | E♭ G B♭ D F | |
| Emaj9 | E G♯ B D♯ F♯ | |
| Fmaj9 | F A C E G | |
| F♯maj9 | F♯ A♯ C♯ E♯ G♯ | |
| G♭maj9 | G♭ B♭ D♭ F A♭ | |
| Gmaj9 | G B D F♯ A | |
| A♭maj9 | A♭ C E♭ G B♭ | |
| Amaj9 | A C♯ E G♯ B | |
| B♭maj9 | B♭ D F A C | |
| Bmaj9 | B D♯ F♯ A♯ C♯ |
Further reading
- Chord Extensions Explained: Ninths, Elevenths and ThirteenthsJazz & Popular Harmony · 7 min
- Jazz Chord Voicings: Shell and Rootless Voicings ExplainedJazz & Popular Harmony · 7 min
- Chord Symbols Explained: Major, Minor, Seventh and Slash ChordsHarmony · 8 min
Questions
What is the difference between Cmaj9 and Cmaj7?
Cmaj7 is C, E, G and B. Cmaj9 adds D, the ninth, which is a major second above the octave. The added note brightens the chord and widens its colour. Both have the same root, third, fifth and seventh, so they keep the same tonic function.
What is the difference between Cmaj9 and C9?
Cmaj9 is C, E, G, B and D, with a major seventh. C9 is C, E, G, B♭ and D, with a minor seventh. One semitone in the seventh separates a major tonic colour from a dominant one. Lowering the B of Cmaj9 to B♭ gives C9, so the two chords are close neighbours.
Is Cmaj9 a major or minor chord?
It is a major chord. Its third, E, is a major third, four semitones above the root, so the chord is not minor. Its fifth is perfect. The major seventh and ninth are added colour above the triad, and they give the chord a lush sound without changing its major quality.