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B major 9th chord on guitar (Bmaj9)
Also called or written Bmaj9 or B
B major 9th contains B, D♯, F♯, A♯, and C♯. The 6th-fret barre shape requires a wide stretch between the index and pinky.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Root positionB–D♯–F♯–A♯–C♯Bmaj97-6-8-6-7-6
- First inversionD♯–F♯–A♯–C♯–BBmaj9/D♯×-6-8-6-7-7
- Second inversionF♯–A♯–C♯–B–D♯Bmaj9/F♯no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionA♯–C♯–B–D♯–F♯Bmaj9/A♯6-4-4-4-4-6
- Fourth inversionC♯–B–D♯–F♯–A♯Bmaj9/C♯×-4-4-4-4-6
How do you play a B major 9th chord on guitar?
B major 9th is played at the 6th fret as 7 6 8 6 7 6: barre your index finger across fret 6, middle finger on the low E string at fret 7, pinky finger on the D string at fret 8 and ring finger on the B string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 2 | B (1) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 4 | A♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (7) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A, G, and high e strings while the pinky stretches to fret 8 on the D string.
Bmaj9/D♯ inversion · fret 6
B major 9th is played at the 6th fret as × 6 8 6 7 7: barre your index finger across fret 6, pinky finger on the D string at fret 8, middle finger on the B string at fret 7 and ring 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) | 8 | 4 | A♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 2 | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 3 | B (1) |
Bmaj9/D♯ inversion · fret 9
B major 9th is played at the 9th fret as 11 9 9 11 11 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, middle finger on the low E string at fret 11, ring finger on the G string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 2 | D♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 4 | A♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
Bmaj9/D♯ inversion · fret 11
B major 9th is played at the 11th fret as 11 13 11 11 12 11: barre your index finger across fret 11, pinky finger on the A string at fret 13 and ring 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) | 13 | 4 | A♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 3 | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
Bmaj9/A♯ inversion
B major 9th is played at the 4th fret as 6 4 4 4 4 6: barre your index finger across fret 4, ring finger on the low E string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 3 | A♯ (7) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 4 | A♯ (7) |
Why it sounds like that
B major 9th is built from the 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 of the B major scale. The major 7th A♯ and the 9th C♯ create a bright, jazzy color. Compare it to B major 7th, which lacks the 9th.
What goes wrong with B major 9th?
- Letting the barre miss the high e string, losing the 9th.
- Flattening the pinky onto the 3rd string, deadening the 5th.
- Strumming too hard, causing the low E to overpower the root on the A string.
When to use it
B major 9th functions as the I chord in B major, fitting progressions like B–E–F♯–B (I–IV–V–I). Its shimmering quality suits fusion, gospel, and modern pop. It also works over B major and B major 7th.
Changing to and from B major 9th
- Move to <a href="/guitar/a-major-9-chord">A major 9th</a> by sliding the shape down two frets to the 4th fret.
- Shift to <a href="/guitar/c-major-9-chord">C major 9th</a> by sliding the shape up one fret to the 7th fret.
Which voicing to use
The 6th-fret voicing keeps B in the bass for a solid root position. The Bmaj9/D♯ inversions place the third in the bass, giving a lighter, more open sound. The Bmaj9/A♯ inversion uses the leading tone in the bass for a tense, resolving quality.
Other B chords
Common questions
How is B major 9th written?
B major 9th is written B or Bmaj9. No enharmonic spelling is used.
What is the difference between B major 9th and B add 9?
B major 9th includes the major 7th A♯ along with the 9th C♯. B add 9 omits the 7th, giving a less complex sound.
Why does the 6th-fret shape use a barre?
The barre on the 6th fret covers the A, G, and high e strings, which are all chord tones. It frees the other fingers to reach the 7th and 8th frets.