Chord · C Major 9th
Cmaj9 Chord
Cmaj9 is C, E, G, B and D — lush, gentle; jazz ballads and neo-soul.
Cmaj9 on every instrument
The same 5 notes, 3 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What Cmaj9 is made of
Cmaj9 (C major ninth) is built from the notes C, E, G, B, D, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, 7, 9.
Stack 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 on a root of C and you get C, E, G, B and D. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major ninth chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why Dmaj9 sounds like a transposed Cmaj9.
Major 9th: Lush, gentle; jazz ballads and neo-soul.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. Every tone here lands on its own letter — no accidentals needed.
Keys that contain Cmaj9
All 5 notes sit inside the scale of 4 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on C
Same root, different colour.
The same major ninth shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about Cmaj9
- What notes are in the Cmaj9 chord?
- Cmaj9 is made of C, E, G, B and D — the 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 degrees of a major ninth chord built on C.
- What keys use the Cmaj9 chord?
- Every note of Cmaj9 belongs to 4 keys: C Major (I), G Major (IV), A Minor (III), E Minor (VI). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play Cmaj9 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows Cmaj9 on guitar, piano and ukulele — 6 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why Cmaj9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.