Dmaj9 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 6th 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 Dmaj9 one string at a time and you hear D, F#, A, C# and E. D is the root, F# the major third, A the fifth, C# the major seventh and E the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are D, F sharp, A, C sharp and E.
From the low string to the high one you hear E, A, D, A, C# and F#. The note heard most is A, twice. It is not the root but the fifth. The bass is E, the ninth, not the root. That makes this shape an inversion.
For Dmaj9, your index finger barres fret 2. Dmaj9 lets three strings ring open. String 6 gives E, string 5 gives A and string 4 gives D. Every finger presses at fret 2. The second shape on this page starts at fret 4.
From Dmaj9 to Dmaj7 only two strings change, 6 and 5. Dmaj9 holds the whole A chord inside it, A, C# and E. The change that keeps the most fingers still is to D. One stays in place.
Dmaj9 belongs to four keys. In D major it is the Imaj9, in A major the IVmaj9 and in F# minor the VImaj9. The rest appear in the key list.
D 1F# 3A 5C# 7E 9
Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 0 (E)
String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator
Placement tip: Barre fret 2. Play open: 6th String (Low E), 5th String (A), 4th String (D).
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 6 with your Pinky finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 5 with your Ring finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 1st String (High E).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | fret 2 |
| Barre | fret 2, from the 3rd to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 1 |
| Open | 6th, 5th, and 4th |
| Muted | none |
At fret 2, only the barre sounds the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings.
Listen: Dmaj9 → D · Bm · Em
No finger is shared: place the bass on string 5 first, then the rest of the shape.
Dmaj9 sits in the scale of 4 keys.
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Dmaj9 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 Dmaj9 chord is its lowest pitch: E. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 0.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Dmaj9 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 formula (Major Seventh with Ninth). Its constituent pitches are D, F#, A, C#, E.
To prevent fret buzz on the Dmaj9 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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