C♯ major ninth (C♯maj9) chord on guitar

Major ninth chord (a major seventh chord plus a major ninth) on C♯: the notes of the C♯maj9 chord are C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – B♯ – D♯. The same chord with a different spelling: D♭ major ninth (D♭maj9).

Dots show:

Barre, fret 1hard

Position 3medium

E shape, fret 9hard

Position 10medium

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

Chord finder Transposer Tuner

What the C♯maj9 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 C♯maj9 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

Barre, fret 1, barre at fret 1

String 1 (e): fret 1, index finger (E♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 1, index finger (B♯3)
String 3 (G): fret 1, index finger (G♯3)
String 4 (D): fret 1, index finger (D♯3)
String 5 (A): fret 4, little finger (C♯3)
String 6 (E): not played

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 1; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Position 3

String 1 (e): fret 4, ring finger (G♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 4, ring finger (D♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 5, little finger (B♯3)
String 4 (D): fret 3, index finger (E♯3)
String 5 (A): fret 4, middle finger (C♯3)
String 6 (E): not played

E shape, fret 9, barre at fret 9

String 1 (e): fret 11, little finger (D♯5)
String 2 (B): fret 9, index finger (G♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 10, middle finger (E♯4)
String 4 (D): fret 10, middle finger (B♯3)
String 5 (A): fret 11, ring finger (G♯3)
String 6 (E): fret 9, index finger (C♯3)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 9; 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.

Similar chords and substitutes

If C♯maj9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

B♭m7 – relative minor seventh: three shared notes
Fm7 – mediant minor seventh: three shared notes
C♯6 – another tonic colour, more vintage and swingy

Simpler versions

C♯maj7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
C♯add9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
C♯ – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
C♯sus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C♯maj9 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 C♯maj9 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Position 3”. 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 C♯maj9 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 C♯maj9 chord written?

The chord symbol is C♯maj9 (also written C#maj9), and its full name is C♯ major ninth.