F9 chord on guitar
F9 (F dominant 9th) is a dominant 9th chord built on F. It has 5 notes, F, A, C, E♭ and G, and its formula is 1 3 5 ♭7 9.
Notes and intervals of F9
From the root upwards, F9 contains root (F), major 3rd (A), perfect 5th (C), minor 7th (E♭) and major 9th (G). Those intervals give the chord its colour: the formula 1 3 5 ♭7 9 works the same way in every key, so once you know it for F you can build the chord on any note.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | F |
| 3 | major 3rd | A |
| 5 | perfect 5th | C |
| ♭7 | minor 7th | E♭ |
| 9 | major 9th | G |
How to play F9 on guitar
The first shape above reads 1 3 1 2 1 3 from the low E string to the high E string (x means you do not play that string, 0 is an open string). The lowest note you play is F. The other diagrams show the same chord higher up the neck: pick the one closest to the chords before and after it in your song.
This is a barre or movable shape: keep your index finger straight and close to the fret, and press with the side of the finger rather than the flat pad.
Which keys use F9?
F9 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 F9
To improvise over F9, start with F Mixolydian mode. All of these scales contain every note of the chord: F Mixolydian mode. Aim for the chord notes on strong beats and use the other notes to move between them.
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 F9 chord?
F9 (F dominant 9th) contains F, A, C, E♭ and G. In intervals: root (F), major 3rd (A), perfect 5th (C), minor 7th (E♭) and major 9th (G).
How do you play F9 on guitar?
The easiest shape is 1 3 1 2 1 3, from the low E string to the high E string. This page shows 3 positions with finger numbers.
What scale goes with F9?
F Mixolydian mode fits F9 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: F Mixolydian mode.
What key is F9 in?
F9 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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