D dominant ninth (D9) chord on piano

Dominant ninth chord (a dominant seventh plus a major ninth) on D: the notes of the D9 chord are D – F♯ – A – C – E.

Full chord: D4 – F♯4 – A4 – C5 – E5

What the D9 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 D9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	D	root
3	F♯	major third (4 semitones)
5	A	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	C	minor seventh (10 semitones)
9	E	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

D4 – F♯4 – A4 – C5 – E5

Two-hand voicing

D3 – F♯4 – C5 – E5 – A5

Which keys is it in?

The D9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

G major: V9 (dominant)
E minor: VII9

Similar chords and substitutes

If D9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

A♭7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
F♯dim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
D7 – a simpler dominant
D7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
G – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

D7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
Dadd9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
D – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Dsus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

D11 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
D13 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D9 chord?

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

How do I play the D9 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 D9 chord written?

The chord symbol is D9, and its full name is D dominant ninth.