Chord · Major 9 Key of C

Cmaj9 Chord on guitar · voicings, notes & diagram

The Cmaj9 chord contains the notes C, E, G, B, D. Spacious, jazzy, slightly hazy — major 7 with the 9 on top.

Voicings

How to play Cmaj9.

Cmaj9 3fr × 1 3 2 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 7 B
5 9 D

Sound & use

Spacious, jazzy, slightly hazy — major 7 with the 9 on top.

Bossa nova openings, lush 70s soft rock comping, dreamy film cues.

Common in: jazz, bossa nova, soul, film

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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

C9

Dominant 9

Cm9

Minor 9

All keys

Major 9 chord in every key.

C♯maj9

Dmaj9

D♯maj9

Emaj9

Fmaj9

F♯maj9

Gmaj9

G♯maj9

Amaj9

A♯maj9

Bmaj9

FAQ

About the Cmaj9 chord
on guitar.

What notes are in the Cmaj9 chord?

The Cmaj9 chord contains the notes C, E, G, B, D — that's a 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 from the root.

How do I play Cmaj9 on guitar?

The most common voicings for Cmaj9 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 Cmaj9 used in music?

Spacious, jazzy, slightly hazy — major 7 with the 9 on top. Bossa nova openings, lush 70s soft rock comping, dreamy film cues.

What's a movable shape for Cmaj9?

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 Major 9 in any key just by sliding up or down the neck.

Can I print the Cmaj9 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.