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F major 9th chord on guitar (Fmaj9)
Also called or written Fmaj9 or F
F major 9th contains F, A, C, E, and G. The open voicing mixes fretted and open strings, demanding precise finger placement.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
- Root positionF–A–C–E–GFmaj91-0-2-0-1-0
- First inversionA–C–E–G–FFmaj9/A×-0-2-0-1-1
- Second inversionC–E–G–F–AFmaj9/Cno shape on this instrument
- Third inversionE–G–F–A–CFmaj9/E0-0-2-0-1-1
- Fourth inversionG–F–A–C–EFmaj9/G3-0-2-0-1-1
How do you play an F major 9th chord on guitar?
F major 9th is played in open position as 1 0 2 0 1 0: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, ring finger on the D string at fret 2 and middle finger on the B string at fret 1. The A, G and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (3) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 3 | E (7) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (2) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 2 | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (7) |
AdvancedFretting the 6th, 4th, and 2nd strings while leaving the 5th, 3rd, and 1st strings open requires careful finger independence.
Open · 1-0-2-0-1-1
F major 9th is played in open position as 1 0 2 0 1 1: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, pinky finger on the D string at fret 2, middle finger on the B string at fret 1 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 1. The A and G strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (3) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 4 | E (7) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (2) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 2 | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 3 | F (1) |
Open · 1-0-2-0-1-3
F major 9th is played in open position as 1 0 2 0 1 3: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, ring finger on the D string at fret 2, middle finger on the B string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The A and G strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (3) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 3 | E (7) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (2) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 2 | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | G (2) |
Open · 1-0-3-0-1-0
F major 9th is played in open position as 1 0 3 0 1 0: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, ring finger on the D string at fret 3 and middle finger on the B string at fret 1. The A, G and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (3) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 3 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (2) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 2 | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (7) |
12th fret
F major 9th is played at the 12th fret as 13 12 14 12 13 12: barre your index finger across fret 12, middle finger on the low E string at fret 13, pinky finger on the D string at fret 14 and ring finger on the B string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 2 | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | 12 | 1 (barre) | A (3) |
| 4 (D) | 14 | 4 | E (7) |
| 3 (G) | 12 | 1 (barre) | G (2) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 3 | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (7) |
Why it sounds like that
F major 9th is built from the 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 of the F major scale. The major 7th E and the 9th G give it a warm, sophisticated sound. Compare it to F major 7th, which lacks the 9th.
What goes wrong with F major 9th?
- Letting the index finger touch the 5th string, deadening the 5th.
- Flattening the ring finger onto the 3rd string, muffling the open G.
- Strumming too hard, causing the low F to overpower the chord.
When to use it
F major 9th functions as the I chord in F major, fitting progressions like F–B♭–C–F (I–IV–V–I). Its warm, mellow sound suits jazz, folk, and pop ballads. It also works over F major and F major 7th.
Changing to and from F major 9th
- Move to <a href="/guitar/c-major-chord">C major</a> by shifting the index finger to the 5th string, 3rd fret, and releasing the other fingers.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps F in the bass for a warm, root-position sound. The 12th-fret barre voicing offers a higher register with the same root in the bass. The open position is the most accessible, while the barre shape provides a fuller, more sustained sound.
Other F chords
Common questions
How is F major 9th written?
F major 9th is written F or Fmaj9. No enharmonic spelling is used.
What is the difference between F major 9th and F add 9?
F major 9th includes the major 7th E along with the 9th G. F 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 C and the 9th G, while the fretted notes add the root, 3rd, and 7th. This creates a full, ringing voicing.