E9 Chord on Guitar
Notes E G♯ B D F♯. Start with open E9 (0 2 0 1 0 2): all six strings sound, three fingers.
Chord · E9 dominant 9th
Open E9 · 0 2 0 1 0 2
open strings
E9, root on string 4 (fret 2) · x x 2 1 3 2
movable, no open strings
E9, root on string 5 (fret 7) · x 7 6 7 7 7
movable, no open strings
1 E3 G♯5 B♭7 D9 F♯
- String 6 (low E): open
- String 5 (A): middle (2), fret 2
- String 4 (D): open
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 1
- String 2 (B): open
- String 1 (high e): ring (3), fret 2
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): muted, do not play
- String 4 (D): middle (2), fret 2
- String 3 (G): index (1), fret 1
- String 2 (B): pinky (4), fret 3
- String 1 (high e): ring (3), fret 2
- Barre: pinky finger flat across strings 3 to 1 at fret 7
- String 6 (low E): muted, do not play
- String 5 (A): middle (2), fret 7
- String 4 (D): index (1), fret 6
- String 3 (G): pinky (4), fret 7
- String 2 (B): pinky (4), fret 7
- String 1 (high e): pinky (4), fret 7
Notes and formula
| Degree | Note | Interval from E |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root |
| 3 | G♯ | major 3rd |
| 5 | B | perfect 5th |
| ♭7 | D | minor 7th |
| 9 | F♯ | major 9th |
Formula 1 3 5 ♭7 9 (dominant 9th).
More on this chord type: Dominant 7th chords · 7th chords explained
Keys that contain E9
| Key | E9 is the |
|---|---|
| A major | V9 |
| F♯ minor | VII9 |
Minor keys here use the natural minor scale.
Playing E9: what goes wrong
Open E7 plus one note
Open E7 is 0 2 0 1 0 0. Add the ring finger on string 1 fret 2 and the F♯ sounds: that is the 9th. E9 is E, G♯, B, D and F♯.
E9 leads to A
E9 is the V9 chord of A major. In a 12-bar blues in E, E9 can take the place of E7 as the home chord.
Higher shapes
x x 2 1 3 2 plays E9 on the top four strings and x 7 6 7 7 7 is the movable five-string shape with the root on string 5.
Related chords
Learn and practise E9
- Metronomepractise the change to E9 at 60 BPM
- How to read chord chartsstrings, frets, fingers, x and o
- Chord finder (chord namer)name any other shape you find
FAQ
What notes are in E9?
E, G♯, B, D, F♯: the 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9 of the E9 dominant 9th chord.
What is the difference between E7 and E9?
E9 adds F♯ to E7: E, G♯, B, D, F♯. Both lead to A; in the open shapes only string 1 changes, from open E to F♯ at fret 2.