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E 9th chord on guitar (E9)
Also called or written E9 or E
E 9th is built from E, G♯, B, D and F♯. This advanced open position shape requires precise finger placement and a clean high e string.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9
- Root positionE–G♯–B–D–F♯E90-2-0-1-0-2
- First inversionG♯–B–D–F♯–EE9/G♯4-2-2-4-3-2
- Second inversionB–D–F♯–E–G♯E9/Bno shape on this instrument
- Third inversionD–F♯–E–G♯–BE9/D×-5-4-4-5-4
- Fourth inversionF♯–E–G♯–B–DE9/F♯2-2-0-1-0-0
How do you play an E 9th chord on guitar?
E 9th is played in open position as 0 2 0 1 0 2: middle finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the G string at fret 1 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 2. The low E, D and B strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 3 | F♯ (2) |
AdvancedThe open position requires fretting three notes while leaving three strings open, which can cause accidental muting of the open strings.
Open · 0-2-0-1-3-2
E 9th is played in open position as 0 2 0 1 3 2: middle finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the G string at fret 1, pinky finger on the B string at fret 3 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 2. The low E and D strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 3 | F♯ (2) |
11th fret
E 9th is played at the 11th fret as 12 11 12 11 12 ×: barre your index finger across fret 11, middle finger on the low E string at fret 12, ring finger on the D string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 12. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 12 | 2 | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 3 | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 4 | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
12th fret
E 9th is played at the 12th fret as 12 14 12 13 12 14: barre your index finger across fret 12, ring finger on the A string at fret 14, middle finger on the G string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 14.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 14 | 3 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 1 (barre) | D (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 2 | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 1 (barre) | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | 14 | 4 | F♯ (2) |
E9/G♯ inversion
E 9th is played at the 2nd fret as 4 2 2 4 3 2: barre your index finger across fret 2, ring finger on the low E string at fret 4, pinky finger on the G string at fret 4 and middle finger on the B string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4 | 3 | G♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 4 | B (5) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 2 | D (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (2) |
Why it sounds like that
E 9th combines an E major triad (1, 3, 5) with a minor seventh and a major ninth: 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9. The ♭7 D and 9 F♯ give it a dominant quality. Compare it with E 7th, which lacks the ninth.
What goes wrong with E 9th?
- Letting the middle finger touch the open D string and deaden it.
- Not pressing the index finger firmly on the G string, causing a buzz at fret 1.
- Allowing the ring finger to touch the open B string and mute it.
When to use it
E 9th functions as the dominant in A major, appearing in progressions like A–D–E–A (I–IV–V–I). It suits blues, funk and jazz-rock. Compare it with E major to hear how the seventh and ninth add tension.
Changing to and from E 9th
- Move to E 7th by lifting the ring finger to leave the high e string open.
Which voicing to use
The open position voicing is the most practical, with E in the bass. The E9/G♯ inversion places the third in the bass for a smoother sound.
Other E chords
Common questions
How is E 9th written?
E 9th is written as E9. The symbol E9 always means a dominant ninth chord with a minor seventh and a major ninth.
What is the difference between E 9th and E add 9?
E 9th includes the minor seventh D, while E add 9 is an E major triad with the ninth F♯ added and no seventh. The add 9 sounds more consonant and less bluesy.
Why does the E9/G♯ inversion have a different bass note?
The E9/G♯ inversion places the third, G♯, in the bass instead of the root E. This creates a smoother stepwise bass line when moving between chords in A major.