Bmaj9 Guitar Chord

Bmaj9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2

Chord shapes:(2 positions)

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position 2

Arpeggio for this shape

P - m - i - m · Alternating Folk (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)

The 1st string is silent. The thumb plays the 5th and the fingers stay on the 3rd and 2nd. All 6 arpeggios

Alternating picking with steady pulse.

Speed:

What sets Bmaj9 apart

Play Bmaj9 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 major seventh and C# the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are B, D sharp, F sharp, A sharp and C sharp.

From the low string to the high one you hear B, D#, A# and C#. F#, the fifth, does not sound in this fingering. The lowest note is B on string 5 and the highest is C# on string 2.

Bmaj9 is a closed shape with no open strings. Move it to another fret and the chord changes, but the fingering stays. Strings 6 and 1 are not played. Everything fits between frets 1 and 3. The second shape on this page starts at fret 6.

From Bmaj9 to B9 only two strings change, 3 and 1. Bmaj9 holds the whole F# chord inside it, F#, A# and C#. Going to F#, two positions stay the same.

Bmaj9 shows up in four keys. In B major it is the Imaj9, in F# major the IVmaj9 and in D# minor the VImaj9. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

Recommended practice sequences

01B B - G#m - C#m - F#7 02D#m D#m - B - G#m - A#7

Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Bmaj9)

Formula: Major Seventh with Ninth (1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9)

Constituent chord intervals:

B 1D# 3F# 5A# 7C# 9

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 2 (B)

String Control (Muted & Active)4 / 6 • 2 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Bmaj9:

Select each shape in the diagram above to view and listen to it

position 2

Standard Position

4 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)

String Control (Muted & Active):

6th String (Low E)

×Muted

Do not play

Root

5th String (A)

Fret 2Finger 2

BDegree 1

4th String (D)

Fret 1Finger 1

D#Degree 3

3rd String (G)

Fret 3Finger 4

A#Degree 7

2nd String (B)

Fret 2Finger 3

C#Degree 9

1st String (High E)

×Muted

Do not play

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

Barre 7

Barre fret 6

5 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)

String Control (Muted & Active):

Root

6th String (Low E)

Fret 7Finger 2

BDegree 1

5th String (A)

Fret 6Barre

D#Degree 3

4th String (D)

Fret 8Finger 4

A#Degree 7

3rd String (G)

Fret 6Barre

C#Degree 9

2nd String (B)

Fret 7Finger 3

F#Degree 5

1st String (High E)

×Muted

Do not play

Placement tip: Barre fret 6. Press: 6th String (Low E) at fret 7 with your Middle finger, 4th String (D) at fret 8 with your Pinky finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 7 with your Ring finger. Don't play: 1st String (High E).

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Bmaj9)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

Item	In this chord
Frets	1 to 3
Fretting fingers	4
Open	none
Muted	6th and 1st

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Bmaj9

Listen: Bmaj9 → F# · F#7 · E

Bmaj9
F#
Bmaj9
F#7
Bmaj9
E

Bmaj9 → F#01

Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions

Stay in place

string 3, fret 3
string 2, fret 2

Move

string 6, fret 2
string 5, fret 4
string 4, fret 4
string 1, fret 2

Bmaj9 → F#702

Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions

Stay in place

string 3, fret 3
string 2, fret 2

Move

string 6, fret 2
string 5, fret 4
string 4, fret 2
string 1, fret 2

Bmaj9 → E03

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays

Stay in place

finger 2: string 5, fret 2

Move

finger 3: string 4, fret 2
finger 1: string 3, fret 1

Bmaj9 in every key

Bmaj9 sits in the scale of 4 keys.

Main shape at a glance

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

Major keys

Minor keys

Bmaj9 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 (Bmaj9)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Bmaj9 chord?

To play the Bmaj9 chord on guitar, only 4 strings are played, from string 5 to string 2. 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 Bmaj9 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Bmaj9 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.

What notes make up the Bmaj9 chord and what is its formula?

The Bmaj9 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 formula (Major Seventh with Ninth). Its constituent pitches are B, D#, F#, A#, C#.

How do you prevent the Bmaj9 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the Bmaj9 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 Bmaj9 chord diagram

Bmaj9 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4

Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the B family:

Chord B Chord Bb Chord Bm Chord Bbm Chord B7 Chord Bb7 Chord Bmaj7 Chord Bbmaj7