B9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)
From the bass on the 5th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios
Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.
Play B9 one string at a time and you hear B, D#, F#, A and C#. B is the root, D# the major third, F# the fifth, A the minor seventh and C# the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are B, D sharp, F sharp, A and C sharp.
From the low string to the high one you hear B, D#, A, C# and F#. The lowest note is B on string 5 and the highest is F# on string 1.
The main B9 shape needs a barre at fret 2 across five strings. Avoid string 6. Everything fits between frets 1 and 2. The second shape on this page starts at fret 7.
B7 is one change away. String 2 is left open, bringing in B, the root of B7. B9 holds the whole F#m chord inside it, F#, A and C#. Going to B, two positions stay the same.
B9 belongs to only one key, E major, where it is the V9.
B 1D# 3F# 5A ♭7C# 9
Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 2 (B)
String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted
Placement tip: Barre fret 2. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 1. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Barre fret 7. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 9 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 8 with your Middle finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 9 with your Pinky finger.
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 1 to 2 |
| Barre | fret 2, from the 5th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 2 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 2, only the barre sounds the 5th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings.
Listen: B9 → B · F# · F#7
B9 sits in the scale of 1 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the B9 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.
The primary bass note of the B9 chord is its root note: B. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 2.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The B9 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 formula (Dominant Ninth). Its constituent pitches are B, D#, F#, A, C#.
To prevent fret buzz on the B9 barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
Thanks for studying with CifraLab
If this chord helped you, support us with a coffee on Ko-fi.
