E major ninth (Emaj9) chord on piano

Looking for the Emaj9 chord on piano? It is a major ninth chord (a major seventh chord plus a major ninth), made of five notes: E – G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯.

Full chord: E4 – G♯4 – B4 – D♯5 – F♯5

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What the Emaj9 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 Emaj9 chord

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

Two-hand voicing

E3 – G♯4 – D♯5 – F♯5 – B5

Which keys is it in?

The Emaj9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

E major: Imaj9 (tonic)
B major: IVmaj9 (subdominant)
C♯ minor: IIImaj9
G♯ minor: VImaj9

Similar chords and substitutes

If Emaj9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

C♯m7 – relative minor seventh: three shared notes
A♭m7 – mediant minor seventh: three shared notes
E6 – another tonic colour, more vintage and swingy

Simpler versions

Emaj7 – 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

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Emaj9 chord?

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

How do I play the Emaj9 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 Emaj9 chord written?

The chord symbol is Emaj9, and its full name is E major ninth.