Cmaj9 Guitar Chord
Cmaj9 is a five-note major ninth chord built from C, E, G, B, D. Adding the major ninth to the major seventh chord produces a warm, luminous sound characteristic of jazz ballads, R&B, and neo-soul. It extends the smooth quality of the major seventh into richer harmonic territory.
Notes in the C Major 9th Chord
The C Major 9th chord is built from 5 notes: C, E, G, B, D. It is a major 9th chord — built from a root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh, and major ninth. On guitar, these notes are voiced across multiple strings simultaneously to create the full chord sound. Depending on the voicing, some notes may be doubled in different octaves to fill out the sound.
Keys That Contain C Major 9th
Cmaj9 is built on the C major chord, which appears diatonically in these keys:
Common Chord Progressions with Cmaj9
C Major 9th appears in many common progressions. Here are the most-used patterns when Cmaj9 is the tonic chord:
Use our chords in a key tool to find all the chords that naturally pair with Cmaj9 in any key.
Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the C Major 9th chord?
The C Major 9th chord is made up of C, E, G, B, D. These 5 notes form a five-note chord structure.
What key is the C Major 9th chord in?
C Major 9th naturally appears in the keys of C Major, G Major, F Major. It can also appear in other contexts as a borrowed chord or secondary chord.
How do I play the Cmaj9 chord on guitar?
Place your fingers on the guitar fretboard according to the diagram above. The numbered dots show finger placement (1 = index, 2 = middle, 3 = ring, 4 = pinky), "O" means play the string open, and "X" means mute that string.
Other C Chords
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