Chord

E 9 Chord

EG♯BDF♯
View on: Theory PianoGuitarUkuleleMandolin

Interactive keyboard

Highlighted notes form this chord.

Notes

E · G♯ · B · D · F♯

Root: E

Intervals

1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9

How it is built

This chord starts on E and applies the intervals 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9. The result contains 5 distinct pitch classes per octave.

Explore related combinations

Guide and musical context

About E 9 Chord

E 9 Chord contains E, G♯, B, D, F♯. Its sound is rich and tense, extending the dominant with a ninth.

Character and sound

Rich and tense, extending the dominant with a ninth.

Musical context and history

The dominant ninth extends a 7 chord while keeping its dominant tension. It is classic vocabulary in jazz, blues, funk, soul and R&B.

How and where it is used

It may resolve as a dominant or act as a stable vamp in groove-based styles.

In Theory view you can hear the pitch collection without depending on a specific fingering. Then switch to Piano, Guitar, Ukulele or Mandolin to see how the same notes are physically distributed on each instrument.

Harmonic and musical relationships

As a dominant sonority on E, a common functional resolution moves toward A. Alterations and extensions change the color while preserving that tension-and-resolution reference.

The formula on this page is 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 and, from E, produces the notes E · G♯ · B · D · F♯.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E 9 Chord?

The notes are E, G♯, B, D, F♯.

What is its interval formula?

The formula is 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9.

How does it sound and what is it used for?

Rich and tense, extending the dominant with a ninth. It may resolve as a dominant or act as a stable vamp in groove-based styles.

Can I view it on a specific instrument?

Yes. Use the selector near the top to switch between Piano, Guitar, Ukulele and Mandolin without changing the musical combination you are studying.