F major ninth (Fmaj9) chord on piano

The F major ninth chord (Fmaj9) is a major ninth chord (a major seventh chord plus a major ninth), made of five notes: F – A – C – E – G.

Full chord: F4 – A4 – C5 – E5 – G5

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What the Fmaj9 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 Fmaj9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	F	root
3	A	major third (4 semitones)
5	C	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	E	major seventh (11 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 – E5 – G5

Two-hand voicing

F3 – A4 – E5 – G5 – C6

Which keys is it in?

The Fmaj9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

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

Similar chords and substitutes

If Fmaj9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Dm7 – relative minor seventh: three shared notes
Am7 – mediant minor seventh: three shared notes
F6 – another tonic colour, more vintage and swingy

Simpler versions

Fmaj7 – 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

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Fmaj9 chord?

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

How do I play the Fmaj9 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 Fmaj9 chord written?

The chord symbol is Fmaj9, and its full name is F major ninth.