Ways to play G9
Open position first, then up the neck. 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 G9
A dominant 9th is a dominant 7th with the 9th stacked on top: G9 is G, B, D, F, A. Five notes on six strings means something gets dropped, usually the 5th, and most guitar 9th shapes leave it out.
| Note | Formula | Interval from G |
|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Root |
| B | 3 | Major 3rd |
| D | 5 | Perfect 5th |
| F | ♭7 | Minor 7th |
| A | 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 G9
Every major and minor key whose scale contains all of G, B, D, F and A, and the chord's Roman numeral in each.
| Key | G9 is the |
|---|---|
| C major | V9 |
| A minor | VII9 |
Progressions to try
Related chords
Other chords on G: