G major ninth (Gmaj9) chord on piano

Major ninth chord (a major seventh chord plus a major ninth) on G: the notes of the Gmaj9 chord are G – B – D – F♯ – A.

Full chord: G4 – B4 – D5 – F♯5 – A5

What the Gmaj9 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 Gmaj9 chord

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

G4 – B4 – D5 – F♯5 – A5

Two-hand voicing

G3 – B4 – F♯5 – A5 – D6

Which keys is it in?

The Gmaj9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

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

Similar chords and substitutes

If Gmaj9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Em7 – relative minor seventh: three shared notes
Bm7 – mediant minor seventh: three shared notes
G6 – another tonic colour, more vintage and swingy

Simpler versions

Gmaj7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
Gadd9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
G – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Gsus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Gmaj9 chord?

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

How do I play the Gmaj9 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 Gmaj9 chord written?

The chord symbol is Gmaj9, and its full name is G major ninth.