As the VF major
- ii7Gm7
- V9C9
- Imaj7Fmaj7
C9 is the chord that wants to resolve, so ending the loop on it hands straight back to the top.
C9 Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The C9 chord is a dominant ninth chord built on the root note C. Its notes are C, E, G, B♭ and D.
Transpose
Quality
Short answer
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
- C · E · G · B♭ · D
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9
- Semitones
- 0 · 4 · 7 · 10 · 14
- Note
- C
- Quality
- Dominant 9
- Symbol
- C9
C9 on piano
5 notesView:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play C9 on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on C, index finger on E, middle finger on G, ring finger on B♭ and little finger on D. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard B♭ is a black key and C, E, G and D are white. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- C1
- E3
- G5
- B♭♭7
- D9
C9 on guitar
View:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, C9 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. The fretted notes sit between frets 2 and 3. Don't play string 6.
C · E · G · B♭ · D
Try C9 on the virtual piano
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C9 chord notes
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | C | |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | E | |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | G | |
| ♭7 | Minor seventh | 10 | B♭(Bb) | |
| 9 | Major ninth | 14 | D |
How to use the C9 chord
The C9 chord is built from a root, a major third, a perfect fifth, a minor seventh and a major ninth. Start at the root C and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: C, E, G, B♭ and D. 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 C9 differs from similar chords
C9 is C7 with a major ninth on top, so it keeps the dominant pull of the tritone. It differs from Cmaj9 in the seventh, minor rather than major, and from Cadd9, which has no seventh at all. In C7♭9 and C7♯9 the same ninth is moved a half step down or up.
Where C9 is used
A dominant chord wants to resolve. Its home is the V of a major key - and the I of a blues, where the pull never lets up.
Questions people ask
- What notes are in the C9 chord?
- The C9 chord contains C, E, G, B♭ and D (C, E, G, Bb and D in plain text).
- Is the C9 chord major or minor?
- C9 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 C9 on piano?
- Place your fingers on C, E, G, B♭ and D 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 B♭ is a black key and C, E, G and D are white.
- How do you play C9 on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. The fretted notes sit between frets 2 and 3. Don't play string 6.
- What chords work well with C9?
- C9 pairs naturally with the chords in the related section: a perfect fifth up or down, the relative major or minor, and anything sharing two notes with it.