Ways to play C9
Lowest on the neck first. Tap a shape to put it on the fretboard above and hear it. The numbers are fingers (1 is your index), × means leave that string out, and ○ means let it ring open.
What's in C9
A dominant 9th is a dominant 7th with the 9th stacked on top: C9 is C, E, G, B♭, D. Five notes on six strings means something gets dropped, usually the 5th, and most guitar 9th shapes leave it out.
| Note | Formula | Interval from C |
|---|---|---|
| C | 1 | Root |
| E | 3 | Major 3rd |
| G | 5 | Perfect 5th |
| B♭ | ♭7 | Minor 7th |
| D | 9 | Major 9th |
Smooth, with some bite from the ♭7. It is the classic funk rhythm chord, and in blues it stands in for a plain dominant 7th.
Keys that use C9
Every major and minor key whose scale contains all of C, E, G, B♭ and D, and the chord's Roman numeral in each.
| Key | C9 is the |
|---|---|
| F major | V9 |
| D minor | VII9 |
Progressions to try
Related chords
Other chords on C: