B♯9 Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The B♯9 chord is a dominant ninth chord built on the root note B♯. Its notes are B♯, D𝄪, F𝄪, A♯ and C𝄪. It's enharmonically the same chord as C9.
Dominant ninth chords are a dominant seventh with extra shine. The ninth on top softens the bite of the tritone below it, which is why funk, soul and blues rhythm guitar lives on this chord.
- Notes
- B♯ · D𝄪 · F𝄪 · A♯ · C𝄪
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9
- Semitones
- 0 · 4 · 7 · 10 · 14
- Note
- B♯
- Quality
- Dominant 9
- Symbol
- B♯9
B♯9 on piano
5 notes
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play B♯9 on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on B♯, index finger on D𝄪, middle finger on F𝄪, ring finger on A♯ and little finger on C𝄪. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard A♯ is a black key and B♯, D𝄪, F𝄪 and C𝄪 are white, the keys you'd normally call C, E, G and D. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- B♯1
- D𝄪3
- F𝄪5
- A♯♭7
- C𝄪9
B♯9 on guitar
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, B♯9 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. The fretted notes sit between frets 2 and 3. Don't play string 6.
B♯ · D𝄪 · F𝄪 · A♯ · C𝄪
Try B♯9 on the virtual piano
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B♯9 chord notes
Also known as C9
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | B♯(B#) | |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | D𝄪(D##) | |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | F𝄪(F##) | |
| ♭7 | Minor seventh | 10 | A♯(A#) | |
| 9 | Major ninth | 14 | C𝄪(C##) |
How to use the B♯9 chord
The B♯9 chord is built from a root, a major third, a perfect fifth, a minor seventh and a major ninth. Start at the root B♯ and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: B♯, D𝄪, F𝄪, A♯ and C𝄪. The same formula gives you the chord in any other key.
Dominant ninth chords take the place of a plain dominant seventh in blues, funk, soul and jazz. As the V9 they resolve just like a V7 does, only with more colour on the way.
How B♯9 differs from similar chords
B♯9 is B♯7 with a major ninth on top, so it keeps the dominant pull of the tritone. It differs from B♯maj9 in the seventh, minor rather than major, and from B♯add9, which has no seventh at all. In B♯7♭9 and B♯7♯9 the same ninth is moved a half step down or up.
Where B♯9 is used
No progression is shown for this spelling
Every key B♯9 would have a function in has a tonic that needs a double accidental, which is not a key this library teaches. The enharmonic spelling carries the same chord in a key that exists.
Questions people ask
- What notes are in the B♯9 chord?
- The B♯9 chord contains B♯, D𝄪, F𝄪, A♯ and C𝄪 (B#, D##, F##, A# and C## in plain text).
- Is the B♯9 chord major or minor?
- B♯9 is a dominant ninth chord. Dominant ninth chords are a dominant seventh with extra shine. The ninth on top softens the bite of the tritone below it, which is why funk, soul and blues rhythm guitar lives on this chord.
- How do you play B♯9 on piano?
- Place your fingers on B♯, D𝄪, F𝄪, A♯ and C𝄪 and play them together. The root usually goes to the little finger of the left hand, the upper notes to the right. On the keyboard A♯ is a black key and B♯, D𝄪, F𝄪 and C𝄪 are white, the keys you'd normally call C, E, G and D.
- How do you play B♯9 on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. The fretted notes sit between frets 2 and 3. Don't play string 6.
- What is another name for the B♯9 chord?
- B♯9 is enharmonically equivalent to C9. Both chord names describe exactly the same notes, but the spelling depends on the key you are playing in.