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E major 9th chord on guitar (Emaj9)
Also called or written Emaj9 or E
E major 9th contains E, G♯, B, D♯, and F♯. The open voicing uses a mix of fretted and open strings, requiring careful finger placement.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Root positionE–G♯–B–D♯–F♯Emaj90-2-1-1-0-2
- First inversionG♯–B–D♯–F♯–EEmaj9/G♯4-2-2-4-4-2
- Second inversionB–D♯–F♯–E–G♯Emaj9/Bno shape on this instrument
- Third inversionD♯–F♯–E–G♯–BEmaj9/D♯×-6-4-4-5-4
- Fourth inversionF♯–E–G♯–B–D♯Emaj9/F♯2-2-1-1-0-0
How do you play an E major 9th chord on guitar?
E major 9th is played in open position as 0 2 1 1 0 2: ring finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the D string at fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 2. The low E and B strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 3 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 2 | G♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 4 | F♯ (2) |
AdvancedFretting the 4th and 3rd strings with separate fingers while keeping the 2nd string open requires precise finger independence.
11th fret
E major 9th is played at the 11th fret as 12 11 13 11 12 11: barre your index finger across fret 11, middle finger on the low E string at fret 12, pinky finger on the D 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) | 12 | 2 | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 4 | D♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 3 | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (7) |
Emaj9/G♯ inversion · fret 2
E major 9th is played at the 2nd fret as 4 2 2 4 4 2: barre your index finger across fret 2, middle finger on the low E string at fret 4, ring finger on the G string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4 | 2 | G♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 3 | B (5) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 4 | D♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (2) |
Emaj9/G♯ inversion · fret 4
E major 9th is played at the 4th fret as 4 6 4 4 5 4: barre your index finger across fret 4, pinky finger on the A string at fret 6 and ring finger on the B string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 4 | D♯ (7) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 1 (barre) | B (5) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 3 | E (1) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (3) |
Emaj9/G♯ inversion · fret 11
E major 9th is played at the 11th fret as × 11 13 11 12 12: barre your index finger across fret 11, pinky finger on the D string at fret 13, middle finger on the B string at fret 12 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 12. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 4 | D♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 2 | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 3 | E (1) |
Why it sounds like that
E major 9th is built from the 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 of the E major scale. The major 7th D♯ and the 9th F♯ give it a bright, ringing quality. Compare it to E major 7th, which omits the 9th.
What goes wrong with E major 9th?
- Letting the index finger touch the 2nd string, deadening the 5th.
- Flattening the pinky onto the 2nd string, muffling the open B.
- Strumming too hard, causing the low E to overpower the chord.
When to use it
E major 9th serves as the I chord in E major, fitting progressions like E–A–B–E (I–IV–V–I). Its bright, open sound suits rock, pop, and country. It also works over E major and E major 7th.
Changing to and from E major 9th
- Move to <a href="/guitar/a-major-chord">A major</a> by shifting the ring finger to the 4th string, 2nd fret, and adding the middle finger on the 3rd string, 2nd fret.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps E in the bass for a warm, root-position sound. The Emaj9/G♯ inversions put the third in the bass, creating a brighter, less settled feel. The 11th-fret barre voicing offers a higher register with the same root in the bass.
Other E chords
Common questions
How is E major 9th written?
E major 9th is written E or Emaj9. No enharmonic spelling is used.
What is the difference between E major 9th and E add 9?
E major 9th includes the major 7th D♯ along with the 9th F♯. E add 9 omits the 7th, giving a less dense sound.
Why does the open shape use both fretted and open strings?
The open strings provide the 5th B and the root E, while the fretted notes add the 3rd, 7th, and 9th. This creates a full, ringing voicing.