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C♯ 9th chord on guitar (C♯9)
Also called or written C♯9 or C♯
C♯ 9th is built from C♯, E♯, G♯, B and D♯. This advanced barre shape at the 8th fret needs a solid index barre and a muted high e string.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9
- Root positionC♯–E♯–G♯–B–D♯C♯99-8-9-8-9-×
- First inversionE♯–G♯–B–D♯–C♯C♯9/E♯1-2-1-1-2-1
- Second inversionG♯–B–D♯–C♯–E♯C♯9/G♯no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionB–D♯–C♯–E♯–G♯C♯9/B×-2-1-1-2-1
- Fourth inversionD♯–C♯–E♯–G♯–BC♯9/D♯×-6-6-6-6-7
How do you play a C♯ 9th chord on guitar?
C♯ 9th is played at the 8th fret as 9 8 9 8 9 ×: barre your index finger across fret 8, middle finger on the low E string at fret 9, ring finger on the D string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 9. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 3 | B (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A string and the G string cleanly while the pinky reaches fret 9 on the B string.
9th fret
C♯ 9th is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 9 10 9 11: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the A string at fret 11, middle finger on the G string at fret 10 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 (barre) | B (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 2 | E♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 4 | D♯ (2) |
C♯9/E♯ inversion · fret 1
C♯ 9th is played at the 1st fret as 1 2 1 1 2 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, ring finger on the A string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 3 | B (♭7) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
C♯9/E♯ inversion · fret 8
C♯ 9th is played at the 8th fret as × 8 9 8 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 8, middle finger on the D string at fret 9, ring finger on the B string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 9. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 2 | B (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
C♯9/E♯ inversion · fret 11
C♯ 9th is played at the 11th fret as 13 11 11 13 12 11: barre your index finger across fret 11, ring finger on the low E string at fret 13, pinky finger on the G string at fret 13 and middle finger on the B string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 3 | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 2 | B (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ 9th stacks a C♯ major triad (1, 3, 5) with a minor seventh and a major ninth: 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9. The ♭7 B and 9 D♯ create a dominant sound. Compare it with C♯ 7th, which omits the ninth.
What goes wrong with C♯ 9th?
- Letting the index barre sag so the G string buzzes at fret 8.
- 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
C♯ 9th acts as the dominant in F♯ major, used in progressions like F♯–B–C♯–F♯ (I–IV–V–I). It suits blues, rock and jazz-funk. Compare it with C♯ major to hear how the seventh and ninth add tension.
Changing to and from C♯ 9th
- Move to B 9th by sliding the shape down two frets to the 6th fret.
- Move to D 9th by sliding the shape up one fret to the 9th fret.
Which voicing to use
The 8th fret and 9th fret voicings both have C♯ in the bass, but the 9th fret version adds the ninth on top. The C♯9/E♯ inversion places the third in the bass for smoother voice-leading.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ 9th written?
C♯ 9th is written as C♯9 or C#9. The symbol C♯9 always means a dominant ninth chord with a minor seventh and a major ninth. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between C♯ 9th and C♯ add 9?
C♯ 9th includes the minor seventh B, while C♯ add 9 is a C♯ major triad with the ninth D♯ added and no seventh. The add 9 sounds more open and less tense.
Why does the C♯9/E♯ inversion have a different bass note?
The C♯9/E♯ inversion places the third, E♯, in the bass instead of the root C♯. This creates a smoother stepwise bass line when moving between chords in F♯ major.