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B 9th chord on guitar (B9)
Also called or written B9 or B
B 9th is built from B, D♯, F♯, A and C♯. This advanced barre shape at the 6th fret demands a solid index barre and a muted high e string.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9
- Root positionB–D♯–F♯–A–C♯B97-6-7-6-7-×
- First inversionD♯–F♯–A–C♯–BB9/D♯×-6-7-6-7-7
- Second inversionF♯–A–C♯–B–D♯B9/F♯no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionA–C♯–B–D♯–F♯B9/A5-4-4-4-4-5
- Fourth inversionC♯–B–D♯–F♯–AB9/C♯×-4-4-4-4-5
How do you play a B 9th chord on guitar?
B 9th is played at the 6th fret as 7 6 7 6 7 ×: barre your index finger across fret 6, middle finger on the low E string at fret 7, ring finger on the D string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 7. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 2 | B (1) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 3 | A (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 4 | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A string and the G string cleanly while the pinky reaches fret 7 on the B string.
7th fret
B 9th is played at the 7th fret as 7 9 7 8 7 9: barre your index finger across fret 7, ring finger on the A string at fret 9, middle finger on the G string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 1 (barre) | A (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 2 | D♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (2) |
B9/D♯ inversion · fret 6
B 9th is played at the 6th fret as × 6 7 6 7 7: barre your index finger across fret 6, middle finger on the D string at fret 7, ring finger on the B string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 7. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 2 | A (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 4 | B (1) |
B9/D♯ inversion · fret 9
B 9th is played at the 9th fret as 11 9 9 11 10 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the low E string at fret 11, pinky finger on the G string at fret 11 and middle finger on the B string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 3 | D♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 10 | 2 | A (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
B9/D♯ inversion · fret 11
B 9th is played at the 11th fret as 11 12 11 11 12 11: barre your index finger across fret 11, ring finger on the A string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 12 | 3 | A (♭7) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 4 | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
Why it sounds like that
B 9th stacks a B major triad (1, 3, 5) with a minor seventh and a major ninth: 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9. The ♭7 A and 9 C♯ create a dominant sound. Compare it with B 7th, which omits the ninth.
What goes wrong with B 9th?
- Letting the index barre sag so the G string buzzes at fret 6.
- Allowing the high e string to ring open, adding an E that is not in the chord.
- Placing the ring finger on the G string instead of the D string, losing the fifth.
When to use it
B 9th acts as the dominant in E major, used in progressions like E–A–B–E (I–IV–V–I). It suits blues, rock and jazz-funk. Compare it with B major to hear how the seventh and ninth add tension.
Changing to and from B 9th
- Move to A 9th by sliding the shape down two frets to the 4th fret.
- Move to C 9th by sliding the shape up one fret to the 7th fret.
Which voicing to use
The 6th fret and 7th fret voicings both have B in the bass, but the 7th fret version adds the ninth on top. The B9/D♯ inversion places the third in the bass for smoother voice-leading.
Other B chords
Common questions
How is B 9th written?
B 9th is written as B9. The symbol B9 always means a dominant ninth chord with a minor seventh and a major ninth.
What is the difference between B 9th and B add 9?
B 9th includes the minor seventh A, while B add 9 is a B major triad with the ninth C♯ added and no seventh. The add 9 sounds more open and less tense.
Why does the B9/D♯ inversion have a different bass note?
The B9/D♯ inversion places the third, D♯, in the bass instead of the root B. This creates a smoother stepwise bass line when moving between chords in E major.