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Chord · E 6/9

E6/9 Chord

E6/9 is E, G#, B, C# and F#lush, neutral substitute for major triads.

Hear it

E6/9 on every instrument

The same 5 notes, 2 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

×6fr21134EADGBE
Guitar1 voicing
CDEFGAB
Piano4 voicings

What E6/9 is made of

E6/9 (E six nine) is built from the notes E, G#, B, C#, F#, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, 6, 9.

Stack 1, 3, 5, 6 and 9 on a root of E and you get E, G#, B, C# and F#. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a six nine chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C6/9 sounds like a transposed E6/9.

6/9: Lush, neutral substitute for major triads.

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 G rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain E6/9

All 5 notes sit inside the scale of 8 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Other chords on E

Same root, different colour.

The same six nine shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

Questions people ask about E6/9

What notes are in the E6/9 chord?
E6/9 is made of E, G#, B, C# and F# — the 1, 3, 5, 6 and 9 degrees of a six nine chord built on E.
What keys use the E6/9 chord?
Every note of E6/9 belongs to 8 keys: A Major (V), E Major (I), B Major (IV), Cb Major (IV), F# Minor (VII), C# Minor (III), G# Minor (VI), Ab Minor (VI). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play E6/9 on guitar and piano?
This page shows E6/9 on guitar and piano — 5 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Learn the theory behind it

Why E6/9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineWhat a seventh chord is for — tension, resolution, and the seat it takes in the key.6 min readThe 12-Bar Blues — Three Chords, A Century of HitsSeventh chords are the whole sound of the blues. Twelve bars is where to hear it.7 min read