C major ninth (Cmaj9) chord on piano

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.

Full chord: C4 – E4 – G4 – B4 – D5

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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)
7	B	major seventh (11 semitones)
9	D	major second (2 semitones)

Piano voicings

Chords with five or more notes are rarely played in one hand: the left hand takes the root, the right hand the colour notes. The fifth (and in an eleventh chord the third) is often left out.

Full chord

C4 – E4 – G4 – B4 – D5

Two-hand voicing

C3 – E4 – B4 – D5 – G5

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.

How do I play the Cmaj9 chord on piano?

Play the root with your left hand and the colour notes (third, seventh, ninth) with your right hand – the two-hand voicing above. Stacking all 5 notes in one hand is possible but sounds crowded.

How is the Cmaj9 chord written?

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