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C♯ minor major 9th chord on guitar (C♯mMaj9)
Also called or written C♯mMaj9, C♯minmaj9, C♯mM9, C♯min(maj9) or C♯m(maj9)
C♯ minor major 9th contains C♯, E, G♯, B♯ and D♯. The 9th-fret voicing is a full barre with a pinky stretch to fret 11 on the high E.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7, 9
- Root positionC♯–E–G♯–B♯–D♯C♯mMaj99-11-10-9-9-11
- First inversionE–G♯–B♯–D♯–C♯C♯mMaj9/E0-3-1-1-2-0
- Second inversionG♯–B♯–D♯–C♯–EC♯mMaj9/G♯no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionB♯–D♯–C♯–E–G♯C♯mMaj9/B♯×-3-1-1-2-0
- Fourth inversionD♯–C♯–E–G♯–B♯C♯mMaj9/D♯11-11-10-9-9-9
How do you play a C♯ minor major 9th chord on guitar?
C♯ minor major 9th is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 10 9 9 11: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the A string at fret 11, middle finger on the D 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) | 10 | 2 | B♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 (barre) | E (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 4 | D♯ (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must hold the low E, G, B and high E at fret 9 while the pinky reaches fret 11 on the high E.
C♯minmaj9/E inversion · open position
C♯ minor major 9th is played in open position as 0 3 1 1 2 0: pinky finger on the A string at fret 3, index finger on the D string at fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 1 and ring finger on the B string at fret 2. The low E and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 4 | B♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 2 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (♭3) |
C♯minmaj9/E inversion · fret 11
C♯ minor major 9th is played at the 11th fret as 12 11 11 13 13 11: barre your index finger across fret 11, middle finger on the low E string at fret 12, ring finger on the G string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 12 | 2 | E (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 4 | B♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
C♯minmaj9/B♯ inversion
C♯ minor major 9th is played in open position as × 3 1 1 2 0: pinky finger on the A string at fret 3, index finger on the D string at fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 1 and ring finger on the B string at fret 2. The high e string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 4 | B♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 2 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (♭3) |
C♯minmaj9/D♯ inversion
C♯ minor major 9th is played at the 9th fret as 11 11 10 9 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the low E string at fret 11, pinky finger on the A string at fret 11 and middle finger on the D string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 3 | D♯ (2) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 2 | B♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 (barre) | E (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ minor major 9th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7, 9. The major 7th B♯ against the minor 3rd E creates the chord's characteristic tension. Compare it to C♯ minor major 7th, which omits the 9th D♯.
What goes wrong with C♯ minor major 9th?
- Let the high E string buzz under the pinky at fret 11.
- Allow the middle finger to touch the G string, deadening the barre note at fret 9.
- Lift the index barre off the low E string, losing the root C♯.
When to use it
Use C♯ minor major 9th in place of C♯ minor for a more complex color. It suits jazz ballads and neo-soul progressions.
Changing to and from C♯ minor major 9th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 8th fret gives C minor major 9th.
- Move to C♯ minor major 7th by lifting the pinky off the high E string and letting the B string ring at fret 9.
Which voicing to use
The 9th-fret voicing puts the root C♯ in the bass for a grounded sound. The C♯ minor major 9th/E inversion at the 11th fret places E in the bass, softening the chord's bite. Choose the D♯ inversion when you want the 9th in the bass for a floating, unresolved feel.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ minor major 9th written?
C♯ minor major 9th is written C♯mM9, min(maj9), m(maj9), or C♯minmaj9. The ASCII root spelling is C#. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between C♯ minor major 9th and C♯ minor add 9?
C♯ minor add 9 contains C♯, E, G♯ and D♯, omitting the major 7th B♯. C♯ minor major 9th includes both the major 7th and the 9th, creating a denser, more dissonant sound.
Can C♯ minor major 9th be used in a minor key?
C♯ minor major 9th is the tonic chord in C♯ harmonic minor and C♯ melodic minor. It is not diatonic to C♯ natural minor, which has a minor 7th B instead of B♯.