Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Chord

A Major Ninth Chord (Amaj9)

Lush, dreamy and luxurious. A major seventh chord with an added ninth, the sound of neo-soul and smooth jazz.

Amaj9
5 notes
x02424

1Composition: what it contains

A – C♯ – E – G♯ – B

Symbol: Amaj9
Also written: Amaj9, AM9, AΔ9, Ama9
Formula: 1 3 5 7 9

Degree	Note	Interval	Semitones
1	A	unison	0
3	C♯	major third	4
5	E	perfect fifth	7
7	G♯	major seventh	11
9	B	major ninth	14

2Appearance: diagrams and sound

On the guitar

A Major Ninth Chord (Amaj9) – guitar chord diagram 1 (x02424) — `x02424`open position

A Major Ninth Chord (Amaj9) – guitar chord diagram 2 (522224) — `522224`fret 2

A Major Ninth Chord (Amaj9) – guitar chord diagram 3 (546454) — `546454`fret 4

A Major Ninth Chord (Amaj9) – guitar chord diagram 4 (xx7697) — `xx7697`fret 6

A Major Ninth Chord (Amaj9) – guitar chord diagram 5 (x-12-9-9-9-9) — `x-12-9-9-9-9`fret 9

On the ukulele

A Major Ninth Chord (Amaj9) – ukulele chord diagram 1 (4140) — `4140`open position

On the piano

Piano keyboard

On the staff

Treble clef

On bass and as an arpeggio

Chord tones on the bass neck

Bass pattern: root and fifth

Bass arpeggio

Chord tones on the guitar neck (degrees)

3Indications: what it is used for

The Imaj9 and IVmaj9 chords in jazz, neo-soul, R&B, bossa nova, city pop and lo-fi hip-hop. It is a colourful tonic at the end of a ii–V–I, and a common chord in dreamy progressions such as IVmaj9–iii7–ii9–Imaj9. Ionian or Lydian scales fit over it. In reharmonisation, it can replace a plain major triad whenever the melody is not holding the root against the major seventh. Neo-soul keyboardists like to stack it in wide, spread voicings across both hands for a soft pad sound.

4Dosage: how to practise it

On guitar, learn the shape rooted on the fifth string and the drop-2 shape with the ninth on top. On piano, play rootless left-hand voicings (3-5-7-9) and two-hand voicings (root-7 in the left, 3-5-9 in the right). Practise ii9–V13–Imaj9 at 70–120 BPM in all keys. Arpeggiate the chord in two octaves (1-3-5-7-9). Ten minutes daily, including neo-soul progressions. On bass, outline 1-5-7 and leave the ninth to the harmony instruments. Experiment with Lydian colour by adding the ♯11 on top.

5Warnings and common mistakes

Do not confuse maj9 with 9 (dominant, flat seventh) or add9 (no seventh). Avoid voicing the root a minor ninth above the major seventh, which sounds harsh. On guitar, the fifth is often omitted. The ninth and the third in the same octave can sound dense, so spread them. If the melody contains the fourth, it may clash; check before substituting.

6Interactions with chords, scales and keys

Inversions

Inversion 1 · Amaj9/C♯ · C♯ – E – G♯ – B – A
Inversion 2 · Amaj9/E · E – G♯ – B – A – C♯
Inversion 3 · Amaj9/G♯ · G♯ – B – A – C♯ – E
Inversion 4 · Amaj9/B · B – A – C♯ – E – G♯

Scales to play over Amaj9

7Other presentations available

The same chord from every note

Cmaj9 C♯maj9 Dmaj9 E♭maj9 Emaj9 Fmaj9 F♯maj9 Gmaj9 A♭maj9 B♭maj9 Bmaj9

Other chords on A

A Am Adim Aaug Asus2 Asus4 A5 A6 Am6 A7 Amaj7 Am7 Am7♭5 Adim7 Am(maj7) A7sus4 Aadd9 Am(add9) A6/9 A9 Am9 A11 Am11 A13 A7♭9 A7♯9 A7♯5 A7♭5

Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.