CifraLab

A9 Guitar Chord

A9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2
Chord shapes:(2 positions)
A9Guitar fingering diagram for A91234×1423STRING6ª×5ªA4ªE3ªB2ªC#1ªG
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What sets A9 apart

The notes of A9 are A, C#, E, G and B. A is the root, C# the major third, E the fifth, G the minor seventh and B the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are A, C sharp, E, G and B.

String by string, low to high, it plays A, E, B, C# and G. It runs from A on string 5 up to G on string 1.

In A9, only one string rings open, string 5, which gives A. String 6 is not played. Your hand covers three frets, from 2 to 4. There is one more position, starting at fret 5.

Change only string 1 in A9 and you have Aadd9. Inside A9 sits a complete Em chord, made of E, G and B. Moving to A, you keep one finger down.

A9 belongs to only one key, D major, where it is the V9.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

01A A - F#m - Bm - E702C#m C#m - A - F#m - G#7
Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (A9)

Formula: Dominant Ninth (1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9)
Constituent chord intervals:

A 1C# 3E 5G ♭7B 9

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 0 (A)

String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for A9:

01

Standard

Standard Position
5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)
String Control (Muted & Active):
6th String (Low E)
×Muted
Do not play
Root
5th String (A)
○Open
ADegree 1
4th String (D)
Fret 2Finger 1
EDegree 5
3rd String (G)
Fret 4Finger 4
BDegree 9
2nd String (B)
Fret 2Finger 2
C#Degree 3
1st String (High E)
Fret 3Finger 3
GDegree ♭7

Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 2 with your Index finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 4 with your Pinky finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 3 with your Ring finger. Play open: 5th String (A). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

02

Barre 5

Barre fret 5
6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
Fret 5Barre
ADegree 1
5th String (A)
Fret 7Finger 3
EDegree 5
4th String (D)
Fret 5Barre
GDegree ♭7
3rd String (G)
Fret 6Finger 2
C#Degree 3
2nd String (B)
Fret 5Barre
EDegree 5
1st String (High E)
Fret 7Finger 4
BDegree 9

Placement tip: Barre fret 5. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 7 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 6 with your Middle finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 7 with your Pinky finger.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (A9)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

ItemIn this chord
Frets2 to 4
Fretting fingers4
Open5th
Muted6th

What to check

The open 5th string sits next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from A9

Listen: A9 → A · Bm · E7

  1. A9
  2. A
  3. A9
  4. Bm
  5. A9
  6. E7
A9 → A01
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays
Stay in place
  • finger 1: string 4, fret 2
Move
  • finger 2: string 3, fret 2
  • finger 3: string 2, fret 2
A9 → Bm02
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 shared position
Stay in place
  • string 3, fret 4
Move
  • string 5, fret 2
  • string 4, fret 4
  • string 2, fret 3
  • string 1, fret 2
A9 → E703
Pivot / Anchor Finger:Full shape change

No finger is shared: place the bass on string 5 first, then the rest of the shape.

Move
  • finger 2: string 5, fret 2
  • finger 1: string 3, fret 1

A9 in every key

A9 sits in the scale of 1 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty
2/5
Highest fret
4
Frets the hand covers
3
Barre
No
Strings that ring
5/6
Fretting fingers
4

Major keys

A9 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (A9)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the A9 chord?

To play the A9 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the A9 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the A9 chord is its root note: A. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 0.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the A9 chord and what is its formula?

The A9 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 formula (Dominant Ninth). Its constituent pitches are A, C#, E, G, B.

How do you prevent the A9 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the A9 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official A9 chord diagram

A9 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4
Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the A family:

Chord A Chord Ab Chord Am Chord A7 Chord Ab7 Chord Amaj7 Chord Abmaj7 Chord Am7