E dominant ninth (E9) chord on piano

Looking for the E9 chord on piano? It is a dominant ninth chord (a dominant seventh plus a major ninth), made of five notes: E – G♯ – B – D – F♯.

Full chord: E4 – G♯4 – B4 – D5 – F♯5

Chord finder Transposer

What the E9 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 E9 chord

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

E4 – G♯4 – B4 – D5 – F♯5

Two-hand voicing

E3 – G♯4 – D5 – F♯5 – B5

Which keys is it in?

The E9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

A major: V9 (dominant)
F♯ minor: VII9

Similar chords and substitutes

If E9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

B♭7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
A♭dim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
E7 – a simpler dominant
E7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
A – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

E7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
Eadd9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
E – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Esus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

E11 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
E13 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E9 chord?

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

How do I play the E9 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 E9 chord written?

The chord symbol is E9, and its full name is E dominant ninth.