Ebmaj9 Eb major ninth chord
- Notes
- Eb G Bb D F
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9
- Semitones
- 0 4 7 11 14 above the root
- Also written
- D#maj9 (D# F## A# C## E#)
- Other symbols
- EbM9, EbΔ9
Eb to G is a major third (4 semitones), G to Bb is a minor third (3 semitones), Bb to D is a major third (4 semitones), D to F is a minor third (3 semitones). A major seventh (Ebmaj7) with the ninth, F, on top. The fifth, Bb, is often left out on guitar.
Ebmaj9 on the piano
Root position from Eb4: Eb4, G4, Bb4, D5, F5. Middle C is C4.
Ebmaj9 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 Eb as its lowest note.
x 6 5 7 6 x (low E to high e)
Sounds Eb3 G3 D4 F4, fifth left out
11 10 12 10 11 x (low E to high e)
Sounds Eb3 G3 D4 F4 Bb4
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 Ebmaj9
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 | Eb G Bb D F | Ebmaj9 | |
| 1st inversion | G Bb D F Eb | Ebmaj9/G | |
| 2nd inversion | Bb D F Eb G | Ebmaj9/Bb | |
| 3rd inversion | D F Eb G Bb | Ebmaj9/D | |
| 4th inversion | F Eb G Bb D | Ebmaj9/F |
Where Ebmaj9 fits
Ebmaj9 is Imaj9 in Eb major, IVmaj9 in Bb major. Its upper four notes G Bb D F are Gm7: play that chord over a Eb bass and you have Ebmaj9.