F dominant ninth (F9) chord on piano

The F dominant ninth chord (F9) is a dominant ninth chord (a dominant seventh plus a major ninth), made of five notes: F – A – C – E♭ – G.

Full chord: F4 – A4 – C5 – E♭5 – G5

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What the F9 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 F9 chord

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

F4 – A4 – C5 – E♭5 – G5

Two-hand voicing

F3 – A4 – E♭5 – G5 – C6

Which keys is it in?

The F9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

B♭ major: V9 (dominant)
G minor: VII9

Similar chords and substitutes

If F9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

B7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Adim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
F7 – a simpler dominant
F7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
B♭ – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

F7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
Fadd9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
F – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Fsus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

F11 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
F13 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the F9 chord?

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

How do I play the F9 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 F9 chord written?

The chord symbol is F9, and its full name is F dominant ninth.