E9 Guitar Chord
E9 is a five-note dominant ninth chord built from E, G#, B, D, F#. Adding the major ninth to the dominant seventh chord creates a rich, full sound central to blues, jazz, funk, and soul. Like all dominant chords, it most naturally resolves to A major.
Notes in the E Dominant 9th Chord
The E Dominant 9th chord is built from 5 notes: E, G#, B, D, F#. It is a dominant 9th chord — built from a root, major third, perfect fifth, minor 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 E Dominant 9th
E9 is built on the E major chord, which appears diatonically in these keys:
Common Chord Progressions with E9
E Dominant 9th appears in many common progressions. Here are the most-used patterns when E9 is the tonic chord:
Use our chords in a key tool to find all the chords that naturally pair with E9 in any key.
Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the E Dominant 9th chord?
The E Dominant 9th chord is made up of E, G#, B, D, F#. These 5 notes form a five-note chord structure.
What key is the E Dominant 9th chord in?
E Dominant 9th naturally appears in the keys of A Major, E Major, B Major. It can also appear in other contexts as a borrowed chord or secondary chord.
How do I play the E9 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 E Chords
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