D9 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.
D9 is built from D, F#, A, C and E. D is the root, F# the major third, A the fifth, C the minor seventh and E the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are D, F sharp, A, C and E.
From the low string to the high one you hear D, F#, C, E and A. The lowest note is D on string 5 and the highest is A on string 1.
The main D9 shape needs a barre at fret 5 across five strings. String 6 is not played. Everything fits between frets 4 and 5. The second shape on this page starts at fret 10.
From D9 to D7#9 only two strings change, 2 and 1. D9 holds the whole Am chord inside it, A, C and E. Going to Bm, one position stays the same.
D9 belongs to only one key, G major, where it is the V9.
D 1F# 3A 5C ♭7E 9
Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 5 (D)
String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted
Placement tip: Barre fret 5. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 4. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Barre fret 10. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 12 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 11 with your Middle finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 12 with your Pinky finger.
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 4 to 5 |
| Barre | fret 5, from the 5th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 2 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 5, only the barre sounds the 5th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings.
Listen: D9 → Bm · F#m · Em
No finger is shared: place the bass on string 5 first, then the rest of the shape.
D9 sits in the scale of 1 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the D9 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 D9 chord is its root note: D. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 5.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The D9 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 formula (Dominant Ninth). Its constituent pitches are D, F#, A, C, E.
To prevent fret buzz on the D9 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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