Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Chord
F Major Ninth Chord (Fmaj9)
Lush, dreamy and luxurious. A major seventh chord with an added ninth, the sound of neo-soul and smooth jazz.
- Fmaj9
- 5 notes
- 102010
1Composition: what it contains
F – A – C – E – G
- Symbol
- Fmaj9
- Also written
- Fmaj9, FM9, FΔ9, Fma9
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | unison | 0 |
| 3 | A | major third | 4 |
| 5 | C | perfect fifth | 7 |
| 7 | E | major seventh | 11 |
| 9 | G | major ninth | 14 |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
On the guitar
102010open position
xx3253fret 2
x85555fret 5
13-10-10-10-10-12fret 10
13-12-14-12-13-12fret 12On the ukulele
0410open position
10-9-12-10fret 9On the piano
On the staff
On bass and as an arpeggio
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 · Fmaj9/A · A – C – E – G – F
- Inversion 2 · Fmaj9/C · C – E – G – F – A
- Inversion 3 · Fmaj9/E · E – G – F – A – C
- Inversion 4 · Fmaj9/G · G – F – A – C – E
Scales to play over Fmaj9
7Other presentations available
The same chord from every note
Cmaj9 C♯maj9 Dmaj9 E♭maj9 Emaj9 F♯maj9 Gmaj9 A♭maj9 Amaj9 B♭maj9 Bmaj9
Other chords on F
F Fm Fdim Faug Fsus2 Fsus4 F5 F6 Fm6 F7 Fmaj7 Fm7 Fm7♭5 Fdim7 Fm(maj7) F7sus4 Fadd9 Fm(add9) F6/9 F9 Fm9 F11 Fm11 F13 F7♭9 F7♯9 F7♯5 F7♭5
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.