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F♯ 9th chord on guitar (F♯9)
Also called or written F♯9 or F♯
F♯ 9th is built from F♯, A♯, C♯, E and G♯. This advanced barre shape at the 1st fret needs a solid index barre and a muted high e string.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9
- Root positionF♯–A♯–C♯–E–G♯F♯92-1-2-1-2-×
- First inversionA♯–C♯–E–G♯–F♯F♯9/A♯×-1-2-1-2-2
- Second inversionC♯–E–G♯–F♯–A♯F♯9/C♯no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionE–G♯–F♯–A♯–C♯F♯9/E×-7-6-6-7-6
- Fourth inversionG♯–F♯–A♯–C♯–EF♯9/G♯4-4-2-3-2-2
How do you play an F♯ 9th chord on guitar?
F♯ 9th is played at the 1st fret as 2 1 2 1 2 ×: barre your index finger across fret 1, middle finger on the low E string at fret 2, ring finger on the D string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 2. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 3 | E (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 4 | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A string and the G string cleanly while the pinky reaches fret 2 on the B string.
2nd fret
F♯ 9th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 4 2 3 2 4: barre your index finger across fret 2, ring finger on the A string at fret 4, middle finger on the G string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 3 | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 2 | A♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 4 | G♯ (2) |
13th fret
F♯ 9th is played at the 13th fret as 14 13 14 13 14 ×: barre your index finger across fret 13, middle finger on the low E string at fret 14, ring finger on the D string at fret 14 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 14. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 14 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 13 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 14 | 3 | E (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 14 | 4 | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
F♯9/A♯ inversion · fret 1
F♯ 9th is played at the 1st fret as × 1 2 1 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 2, ring finger on the B string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 2. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 2 | E (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 4 | F♯ (1) |
F♯9/A♯ inversion · fret 4
F♯ 9th is played at the 4th fret as 6 4 4 6 5 4: barre your index finger across fret 4, ring finger on the low E string at fret 6, pinky finger on the G string at fret 6 and middle finger on the B string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 3 | A♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 4 | C♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 2 | E (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (2) |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ 9th combines an F♯ major triad (1, 3, 5) with a minor seventh and a major ninth: 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9. The ♭7 E and 9 G♯ give it a dominant quality. Compare it with F♯ 7th, which lacks the ninth.
What goes wrong with F♯ 9th?
- Letting the index barre sag so the G string buzzes at fret 1.
- Allowing the high e string to ring open, which adds an unwanted E above the chord.
- Placing the ring finger on the G string instead of the D string, losing the fifth.
When to use it
F♯ 9th functions as the dominant in B major, appearing in progressions like B–E–F♯–B (I–IV–V–I). It suits blues, funk and jazz-rock. Compare it with F♯ major to hear how the seventh and ninth add tension.
Changing to and from F♯ 9th
- Move to G 9th by sliding the shape up one fret to the 2nd fret.
- Move to A♭ 9th by sliding the shape up two frets to the 3rd fret.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret and 2nd fret voicings both have F♯ in the bass, but the 2nd fret version adds the ninth on top. The F♯9/A♯ inversion places the third in the bass for a smoother sound.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ 9th written?
F♯ 9th is written as F♯9 or F#9. The symbol F♯9 always means a dominant ninth chord with a minor seventh and a major ninth. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ 9th and F♯ add 9?
F♯ 9th includes the minor seventh E, while F♯ add 9 is an F♯ major triad with the ninth G♯ added and no seventh. The add 9 sounds more consonant and less bluesy.
Why does the F♯9/A♯ inversion have a different bass note?
The F♯9/A♯ inversion places the third, A♯, in the bass instead of the root F♯. This creates a smoother stepwise bass line when moving between chords in B major.