G dominant ninth (G9) chord on banjo

Looking for the G9 chord on banjo? It is a dominant ninth chord (a dominant seventh plus a major ninth), made of five notes: G – B – D – F – A.

Dots show:

Basic shapemedium

Position 4medium

Position 7medium

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What the G9 chord sounds like

A dominant ninth is a dominant seventh with an added major ninth. A fuller, fatter dominant sound – a staple of funk, soul and blues.

Notes of the G9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	G	root
3	B	major third (4 semitones)
5	D	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
7	F	minor seventh (10 semitones)
9	A	major second (2 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (D): fret 3, middle finger (F4)
String 2 (B): open (B3)
String 3 (G): fret 2, index finger (A3)
String 4 (D): fret 5, little finger (G3)

Position 4

String 1 (D): fret 7, little finger (A4)
String 2 (B): fret 6, ring finger (F4)
String 3 (G): fret 4, index finger (B3)
String 4 (D): fret 5, middle finger (G3)

Position 7

String 1 (D): fret 9, ring finger (B4)
String 2 (B): fret 8, middle finger (G4)
String 3 (G): fret 10, little finger (F4)
String 4 (D): fret 7, index finger (A3)

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The G9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

C major: V9 (dominant)
A minor: VII9

Similar chords and substitutes

If G9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

C♯7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Bdim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
G7 – a simpler dominant
G7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
C – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

G7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
Gadd9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
G – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Gsus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

G11 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
G13 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the G9 chord?

G, B, D, F, A. The root is G; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major second.

What is the easiest way to play G9 on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”. We show 3 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some G9 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 5-note chord. The fifth (D) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without it.

How is the G9 chord written?

The chord symbol is G9, and its full name is G dominant ninth.