Chord · D Major 9th
Dmaj9 Chord
Dmaj9 is D, F#, A, C# and E — lush, gentle; jazz ballads and neo-soul.
Dmaj9 on every instrument
The same 5 notes, 3 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What Dmaj9 is made of
Dmaj9 (D major ninth) is built from the notes D, F#, A, C#, E, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, 7, 9.
Stack 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 on a root of D and you get D, F#, A, C# and E. 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 Cmaj9 sounds like a transposed Dmaj9.
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. That is why this chord is spelled with F♯ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain Dmaj9
All 5 notes sit inside the scale of 4 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on D
Same root, different colour.
The same major ninth shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about Dmaj9
- What notes are in the Dmaj9 chord?
- Dmaj9 is made of D, F#, A, C# and E — the 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 degrees of a major ninth chord built on D.
- What keys use the Dmaj9 chord?
- Every note of Dmaj9 belongs to 4 keys: D Major (I), A Major (IV), B Minor (III), F# Minor (VI). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play Dmaj9 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows Dmaj9 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 Dmaj9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.