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F♯ minor major 9th chord on guitar (F♯mMaj9)
Also called or written F♯mMaj9, F♯minmaj9, F♯mM9, F♯min(maj9) or F♯m(maj9)
F♯ minor major 9th contains F♯, A, C♯, E♯ and G♯. The open voicing mutes the high E string and uses a pinky stretch to fret 3 on the D string.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7, 9
- Root positionF♯–A–C♯–E♯–G♯F♯mMaj92-0-3-1-2-×
- First inversionA–C♯–E♯–G♯–F♯F♯mMaj9/A×-0-3-1-2-2
- Second inversionC♯–E♯–G♯–F♯–AF♯mMaj9/C♯no shape on this instrument
- Third inversionE♯–G♯–F♯–A–C♯F♯mMaj9/E♯1-0-×-1-2-2
- Fourth inversionG♯–F♯–A–C♯–E♯F♯mMaj9/G♯4-4-3-2-2-2
How do you play an F♯ minor major 9th chord on guitar?
F♯ minor major 9th is played in open position as 2 0 3 1 2 ×: middle finger on the low E string at fret 2, pinky finger on the D string at fret 3, index finger on the G string at fret 1 and ring finger on the B string at fret 2. The A string rings open. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 4 | E♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
AdvancedThe pinky must fret the D string at fret 3 cleanly while the high E string is muted and the A string rings open.
2nd fret
F♯ minor major 9th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 4 3 2 2 4: barre your index finger across fret 2, ring finger on the A string at fret 4, middle finger on the D 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) | 3 | 2 | E♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 1 (barre) | A (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 4 | G♯ (2) |
F♯minmaj9/A inversion · open position
F♯ minor major 9th is played in open position as × 0 3 1 2 2: pinky finger on the D string at fret 3, index finger on the G string at fret 1, middle finger on the B string at fret 2 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 2. The A string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 4 | E♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 2 | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
F♯minmaj9/A inversion · fret 4
F♯ minor major 9th is played at the 4th fret as 5 4 4 6 6 4: barre your index finger across fret 4, middle finger on the low E string at fret 5, ring finger on the G string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5 | 2 | A (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 3 | C♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 4 | E♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (2) |
F♯minmaj9/E♯ inversion
F♯ minor major 9th is played in open position as 1 0 × 1 2 2: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 1, ring finger on the B string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 2. The A string rings open. The D string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | E♯ (7) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 2 | G♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 4 | F♯ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ minor major 9th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7, 9. The major 7th E♯ against the minor 3rd A creates the chord's characteristic tension. Compare it to F♯ minor major 7th, which omits the 9th G♯.
What goes wrong with F♯ minor major 9th?
- Let the high E string sound, adding an E that is not in the chord.
- Allow the pinky to touch the G string, deadening the note at fret 1.
- Let the ring finger flatten onto the high E string, causing a buzz at fret 2.
When to use it
Use F♯ minor major 9th in place of F♯ minor for a more complex color. It suits jazz ballads and film-score tension.
Changing to and from F♯ minor major 9th
- Move to F♯ minor major 7th by lifting the pinky off the D string and letting it ring open.
- Slide the 2nd-fret barre voicing up one fret to the 3rd fret for G minor major 9th.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing puts the root F♯ in the bass via the low E string. The F♯ minor major 9th/A inversion at the 4th fret places A in the bass, softening the chord's bite. Choose the E♯ inversion when you want the major 7th in the bass for a floating, unresolved feel.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ minor major 9th written?
F♯ minor major 9th is written F♯mM9, min(maj9), m(maj9), or F♯minmaj9. The ASCII root spelling is F#. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ minor major 9th and F♯ minor add 9?
F♯ minor add 9 contains F♯, A, C♯ and G♯, omitting the major 7th E♯. F♯ minor major 9th includes both the major 7th and the 9th, creating a denser, more dissonant sound.
Can F♯ minor major 9th be used in a minor key?
F♯ minor major 9th is the tonic chord in F♯ harmonic minor and F♯ melodic minor. It is not diatonic to F♯ natural minor, which has a minor 7th E instead of E♯.