E9 chord on guitar
The E9 chord, or E dominant 9th, stacks 5 notes on E: E, G♯, B, D and F♯. Musicians write its formula 1 3 5 ♭7 9.
Notes and intervals of E9
Each note of E9 has a job. Counted from the root, you get root (E), major 3rd (G♯), perfect 5th (B), minor 7th (D) and major 9th (F♯). Change one of these intervals and you get a different chord, which is why the formula 1 3 5 ♭7 9 is worth memorising rather than the shape alone.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | E |
| 3 | major 3rd | G♯ |
| 5 | perfect 5th | B |
| ♭7 | minor 7th | D |
| 9 | major 9th | F♯ |
How to play E9 on guitar
Start with the first diagram: 0 2 0 1 0 2, read from the 6th string (low E) to the 1st string (high E). Your lowest note is E. The next positions give the same notes in a different order, which is useful when you want E9 to sit closer to the surrounding chords.
Let the open strings ring: strum slowly once and check that every note sounds clean before you speed up.
Which keys use E9?
E9 is not built from the notes of a single major key, so it usually appears as a colour chord: a borrowed chord, a passing chord or a suspension that resolves to the next chord.
Scales to play over E9
These scales share every note of E9: E Mixolydian mode. E Mixolydian mode is the safest choice; the others add more colour.
About dominant 9th chords
A dominant seventh with a 9th on top: 1 3 5 ♭7 9. It keeps the tension of the 7 chord but sounds fuller, smoother and funkier, as the major ninth softens the tritone between 3 and ♭7. It belongs to the extended chords, built by stacking thirds beyond the seventh. For example C9: C E G B♭ D.
Use it wherever a V7 works: V9 to I, the dominant in ii7 V9 Imaj7, and every chord of a blues (I9 IV9 V9). Funk can sit on one 9 chord for a whole groove, and soul, gospel and jazz use it as a richer dominant. In minor keys, V7♭9 is more common than V9, because the scale has a ♭6.
The standard shape has the root on the 5th string, then the 3, ♭7 and 9 on the next three strings (for example C9 x3233x, with the 5th added on top as x32333). The open E9 (020102) is a blues classic. Funk players play the top three or four strings of the shape with tight sixteenth-note strums.
9 is not add9: a 9 chord has the ♭7, an add9 does not. 9 is not maj9 either: maj9 has the major seventh and a calm, non-dominant sound. And the 9 is a major ninth; ♭9 and ♯9 (as in E7♯9, the 'Hendrix chord') are altered versions with their own symbols.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the E9 chord?
E9 (E dominant 9th) contains E, G♯, B, D and F♯. In intervals: root (E), major 3rd (G♯), perfect 5th (B), minor 7th (D) and major 9th (F♯).
How do you play E9 on guitar?
The easiest shape is 0 2 0 1 0 2, from the low E string to the high E string. This page shows 3 positions with finger numbers.
What scale goes with E9?
E Mixolydian mode fits E9 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: E Mixolydian mode.
What key is E9 in?
E9 does not belong to a single major key. It is used as a colour chord that borrows notes from outside the key.
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