D major ninth (Dmaj9) chord on piano

Major ninth chord (a major seventh chord plus a major ninth) on D: the notes of the Dmaj9 chord are D – F♯ – A – C♯ – E.

Full chord: D4 – F♯4 – A4 – C♯5 – E5

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What the Dmaj9 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 Dmaj9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	D	root
3	F♯	major third (4 semitones)
5	A	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	C♯	major seventh (11 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 – C♯5 – E5

Two-hand voicing

D3 – F♯4 – C♯5 – E5 – A5

Which keys is it in?

The Dmaj9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

D major: Imaj9 (tonic)
A major: IVmaj9 (subdominant)
B minor: IIImaj9
F♯ minor: VImaj9

Similar chords and substitutes

If Dmaj9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Bm7 – relative minor seventh: three shared notes
F♯m7 – mediant minor seventh: three shared notes
D6 – another tonic colour, more vintage and swingy

Simpler versions

Dmaj7 – 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

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Dmaj9 chord?

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

How do I play the Dmaj9 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 Dmaj9 chord written?

The chord symbol is Dmaj9, and its full name is D major ninth.