Dmaj9 D major ninth chord
- Notes
- D F# A C# E
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9
- Semitones
- 0 4 7 11 14 above the root
- Other symbols
- DM9, DΔ9
D to F# is a major third (4 semitones), F# to A is a minor third (3 semitones), A to C# is a major third (4 semitones), C# to E is a minor third (3 semitones). A major seventh (Dmaj7) with the ninth, E, on top. The fifth, A, is often left out on guitar.
Dmaj9 on the piano
Root position from D4: D4, F#4, A4, C#5, E5. Middle C is C4.
Dmaj9 on the guitar
Standard tuning (E A D G B E). Strings run low E on the left to high e on the right, frets downwards; × is a muted string, ○ an open string, and each dot shows the note it sounds, with the root in blue-green. Every shape below has D as its lowest note.
x 5 4 6 5 x (low E to high e)
Sounds D3 F#3 C#4 E4, fifth left out
10 9 11 9 10 x (low E to high e)
Sounds D3 F#3 C#4 E4 A4
The E-shape and A-shape grips are movable: an E-shape chord's root is the note under your first finger on the low E string, an A-shape chord's root is the note on the A string. Slide the same grip up or down to play major ninth chords on other roots.
Inversions of Dmaj9
An inversion puts a note other than the root in the bass. The name is what semicord's chord finder calls those notes played bottom to top; a slash name like C/E means a C chord with E in the bass.
| Position | Notes, bass first | Named | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | D F# A C# E | Dmaj9 | |
| 1st inversion | F# A C# E D | Dmaj9/F# | |
| 2nd inversion | A C# E D F# | Dmaj9/A | |
| 3rd inversion | C# E D F# A | Dmaj9/C# | |
| 4th inversion | E D F# A C# | Dmaj9/E |
Where Dmaj9 fits
Dmaj9 is Imaj9 in D major, IVmaj9 in A major. Its upper four notes F# A C# E are F#m7: play that chord over a D bass and you have Dmaj9.