Emaj9 E major ninth chord
- Notes
- E G# B D# F#
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9
- Semitones
- 0 4 7 11 14 above the root
- Other symbols
- EM9, EΔ9
E to G# is a major third (4 semitones), G# to B is a minor third (3 semitones), B to D# is a major third (4 semitones), D# to F# is a minor third (3 semitones). A major seventh (Emaj7) with the ninth, F#, on top. The fifth, B, is often left out on guitar.
Emaj9 on the piano
Root position from E4: E4, G#4, B4, D#5, F#5. Middle C is C4.
Emaj9 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 E as its lowest note.
x 7 6 8 7 x (low E to high e)
Sounds E3 G#3 D#4 F#4, fifth left out
12 11 13 11 12 x (low E to high e)
Sounds E3 G#3 D#4 F#4 B4
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 Emaj9
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 | E G# B D# F# | Emaj9 | |
| 1st inversion | G# B D# F# E | Emaj9/G# | |
| 2nd inversion | B D# F# E G# | Emaj9/B | |
| 3rd inversion | D# F# E G# B | Emaj9/D# | |
| 4th inversion | F# E G# B D# | Emaj7/F# (also read as Emaj9/F#) |
Where Emaj9 fits
Emaj9 is Imaj9 in E major, IVmaj9 in B major. Its upper four notes G# B D# F# are G#m7: play that chord over a E bass and you have Emaj9.