Gmaj9 G major ninth chord
- Notes
- G B D F# A
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9
- Semitones
- 0 4 7 11 14 above the root
- Other symbols
- GM9, GΔ9
G to B is a major third (4 semitones), B to D is a minor third (3 semitones), D to F# is a major third (4 semitones), F# to A is a minor third (3 semitones). A major seventh (Gmaj7) with the ninth, A, on top. The fifth, D, is often left out on guitar.
Gmaj9 on the piano
Root position from G4: G4, B4, D5, F#5, A5. Middle C is C4.
Gmaj9 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 G as its lowest note.
3 2 4 2 3 x (low E to high e)
Sounds G2 B2 F#3 A3 D4
x 10 9 11 10 x (low E to high e)
Sounds G3 B3 F#4 A4, fifth left out
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 Gmaj9
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 | G B D F# A | Gmaj9 | |
| 1st inversion | B D F# A G | Gmaj9/B | |
| 2nd inversion | D F# A G B | Gmaj9/D | |
| 3rd inversion | F# A G B D | Gmaj9/F# | |
| 4th inversion | A G B D F# | Gmaj9/A |
Where Gmaj9 fits
Gmaj9 is Imaj9 in G major, IVmaj9 in D major. Its upper four notes B D F# A are Bm7: play that chord over a G bass and you have Gmaj9.