Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Chord
C Dominant Ninth Chord (C9)
Funky, rich and smooth. A dominant seventh with an added major ninth, less bluesy and more colourful than the plain seventh.
- C9
- 5 notes
- x30330
1Composition: what it contains
C – E – G – B♭ – D
- Symbol
- C9
- Also written
- C9, C7(9), Cdom9
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7 9
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | unison | 0 |
| 3 | E | major third | 4 |
| 5 | G | perfect fifth | 7 |
| ♭7 | B♭ | minor seventh | 10 |
| 9 | D | major ninth | 14 |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
On the guitar
x30330open position
x3233xfret 2
855556fret 5
8-10-8-9-8-10fret 8
x-15-12-15-13-12fret 12On the ukulele
3203open position
5465fret 4
7-10-8-7fret 7On the piano
On the staff
On bass and as an arpeggio
3Indications: what it is used for
Used on dominant chords in funk, soul, R&B, jazz, gospel and blues. It is the V9 in a ii–V–I, a staple of funk rhythm guitar on one-chord vamps, and the I9 and IV9 chords in jazz blues. It substitutes for any dominant seventh when the melody does not contain the flat ninth. Mixolydian is the typical scale over it. In big-band arrangements it is a common voicing for dominant chords.
4Dosage: how to practise it
On guitar, learn the four-string shape rooted on the fifth string (which omits the fifth) and practise sixteenth-note funk strumming at 90–110 BPM with chord slides from a half step below. On piano, play rootless voicings (3-5-♭7-9 and ♭7-9-3-5) in the left hand. Practise ii9–V9–Imaj9 progressions. Arpeggiate 1-3-5-♭7-9 on bass. Ten minutes daily. Practise a one-chord funk vamp for three minutes, then a twelve-bar blues with all ninth chords, sliding each shape from a fret below.
5Warnings and common mistakes
Do not confuse 9 with add9 (no seventh) or maj9 (major seventh). The symbol '9' alone implies the flat seventh. On guitar, the fifth is usually omitted in ninth voicings; the third and seventh must stay. Avoid playing the ninth in a low register or adjacent to the root at the bottom. If the melody holds the flat ninth (for example in minor keys), use 7♭9 instead.
6Interactions with chords, scales and keys
Inversions
- Inversion 1 · C9/E · E – G – B♭ – D – C
- Inversion 2 · C9/G · G – B♭ – D – C – E
- Inversion 3 · C9/B♭ · B♭ – D – C – E – G
- Inversion 4 · C9/D · D – C – E – G – B♭
Scales to play over C9
7Other presentations available
The same chord from every note
C♯9 D9 E♭9 E9 F9 F♯9 G9 A♭9 A9 B♭9 B9
Other chords on C
C Cm Cdim Caug Csus2 Csus4 C5 C6 Cm6 C7 Cmaj7 Cm7 Cm7♭5 Cdim7 Cm(maj7) C7sus4 Cadd9 Cm(add9) C6/9 Cmaj9 Cm9 C11 Cm11 C13 C7♭9 C7♯9 C7♯5 C7♭5
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.