C major ninth (Cmaj9) chord on guitar

The C major ninth chord (Cmaj9) is a major ninth chord (a major seventh chord plus a major ninth), made of five notes: C – E – G – B – D.

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

Open positionmedium

E shape, fret 8hard

Position 9medium

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

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What the Cmaj9 chord sounds like

A major ninth is a major seventh chord with an added ninth: spacious, floating and very jazzy as a tonic.

Notes of the Cmaj9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	C	root
3	E	major third (4 semitones)
5	G	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
7	B	major seventh (11 semitones)
9	D	major second (2 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Easy version

String 1 (e): open (E4)
String 2 (B): open (B3)
String 3 (G): open (G3)
String 4 (D): open (D3)
String 5 (A): fret 3, index finger (C3)
String 6 (E): not played

Open position

String 1 (e): open (E4)
String 2 (B): fret 1, index finger (C4)
String 3 (G): fret 4, little finger (B3)
String 4 (D): open (D3)
String 5 (A): fret 3, ring finger (C3)
String 6 (E): not played

E shape, fret 8, barre at fret 8

String 1 (e): fret 10, little finger (D5)
String 2 (B): fret 8, index finger (G4)
String 3 (G): fret 9, middle finger (E4)
String 4 (D): fret 9, middle finger (B3)
String 5 (A): fret 10, ring finger (G3)
String 6 (E): fret 8, index finger (C3)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 8; your other fingers press the higher frets.

The “C, A, G, E and D shapes” are the CAGED system: you slide the shape of the open C, A, G, E or D chord up the neck and your index finger (a barre) takes over the job of the nut. That way the same chord can be played in five places, anywhere on the fretboard.

Tuning: E A D G B E (low to high). String 6 is the thickest, the low E. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The Cmaj9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

C major: Imaj9 (tonic)
G major: IVmaj9 (subdominant)
A minor: IIImaj9
E minor: VImaj9

Similar chords and substitutes

If Cmaj9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Am7 – relative minor seventh: three shared notes
Em7 – mediant minor seventh: three shared notes
C6 – another tonic colour, more vintage and swingy

Simpler versions

Cmaj7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
Cadd9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
C – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Csus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Cmaj9 chord?

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

What is the easiest way to play Cmaj9 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Easy version”, rated easy. We show 4 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 Cmaj9 shapes?

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

How is the Cmaj9 chord written?

The chord symbol is Cmaj9, and its full name is C major ninth.