D6/9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - m - i - m · Alternating Folk (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)
The 1st string repeats the F# of the 6th. This pattern leaves it out. All 6 arpeggios
Alternating picking with steady pulse.
Play D6/9 one string at a time and you hear D, F#, A, B and E. D is the root, F# the major third, A the fifth, B the sixth and E the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are D, F sharp, A, B and E.
String by string, low to high, it plays F#, B, E, A, D and F#. F# appears twice in the main shape, and it is the chord's major third. The bass is F#, the major third, not the root. That makes this shape an inversion.
You play D6/9 with a barre at fret 2. Your hand covers two frets, from 2 to 3. There is one more position, starting at fret 4.
Inside D6/9 sits a complete Bm chord, made of D, F# and B. Bm shares three positions with this shape.
You will find D6/9 in six different keys. In D major it is the I6/9, in G major the V6/9 and in A major the IV6/9. The rest appear in the key list.
D 1F# 3A 5B 6E 9
Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 2 (F#)
String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator
Placement tip: Barre fret 2. Press: 2nd String (B) at fret 3 with your Ring finger.
Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 5 with your Middle finger, 4th String (D) at fret 4 with your Index finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 4 with your Index finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 5 with your Ring finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 5 with your Pinky finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 2 to 3 |
| Barre | fret 2, from the 6th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 2 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | none |
At fret 2, only the barre sounds the 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 1st strings.
Listen: D6/9 → Bm · D · Em
D6/9 sits in the scale of 6 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the D6/9 chord on guitar, all 6 strings are played from the 6th string (Low E) to the 1st string (High E). Arch your finger joints perpendicular to the fretboard so adjacent strings ring clearly.
The primary bass note of the D6/9 chord is its lowest pitch: F#. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 2.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The D6/9 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 9 formula (Sixth with Ninth). Its constituent pitches are D, F#, A, B, E.
To prevent fret buzz on the D6/9 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.
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