Chord · Dominant 9 Key of C

C9 Chord on guitar · voicings, notes & diagram

The C9 chord contains the notes C, E, G, A♯, D. Funky, full, bluesy — the dom7 with an extra colour note.

Voicings

How to play C9.

C9 3fr × 1 3 1 4 4 E A D G B E

A-shape

Every chord tone on the neck

EADGBE 35791215 Root Scale note

Notes & intervals.

# Degree Note
1 1 C root
2 3 E
3 5 G
4 b7 A♯
5 9 D

Sound & use

Funky, full, bluesy — the dom7 with an extra colour note.

Funk rhythm comping (James Brown), 70s soul, jazz blues V chord.

Common in: funk, soul, jazz, blues

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Same key

Other chords in the key of C.

C

Major

Cm

Minor

Cdim

Diminished

Caug

Augmented

Csus2

Suspended 2nd

Csus4

Suspended 4th

C7

Dominant 7

Cmaj7

Major 7

Cm7

Minor 7

Cm7b5

Minor 7♭5

Cdim7

Diminished 7

Cm(maj7)

Minor-Major 7

C6

Major 6

Cm6

Minor 6

Cadd9

Add 9

Cm(add9)

Minor Add 9

Cmaj9

Major 9

Cm9

Minor 9

All keys

Dominant 9 chord in every key.

C♯9

D9

D♯9

E9

F9

F♯9

G9

G♯9

A9

A♯9

B9

FAQ

About the C9 chord
on guitar.

What notes are in the C9 chord?

The C9 chord contains the notes C, E, G, A♯, D — that's a 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 from the root.

How do I play C9 on guitar?

The most common voicings for C9 are shown above as fretboard diagrams. Start with the a-shape — finger position numbers are inside the dots. Mute any string marked X; play open strings shown with O.

Where is C9 used in music?

Funky, full, bluesy — the dom7 with an extra colour note. Funk rhythm comping (James Brown), 70s soul, jazz blues V chord.

What's a movable shape for C9?

Both E-shape (root on the 6th string) and A-shape (root on the 5th string) barre versions are common. Once you can play those two shapes, you can play Dominant 9 in any key just by sliding up or down the neck.

Can I print the C9 chord diagram?

Yes. Use your browser's print function (Cmd/Ctrl + P) — the SVG diagrams print crisply at any size. For a custom voicing or a printable handout with multiple chords, use the chord chart generator.