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Emaj9 Guitar Chord

Emaj9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2
Chord shapes:(2 positions)
Emaj9Guitar fingering diagram for Emaj912342113STRING6ªE5ªB4ªD#3ªG#2ªB1ªF#
View HD sheet

What sets Emaj9 apart

Emaj9 is built from E, G#, B, D# and F#. E is the root, G# the major third, B the fifth, D# the major seventh and F# the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are E, G sharp, B, D sharp and F sharp.

String by string, low to high, it plays E, B, D#, G#, B and F#. B appears twice in the main shape, and it is the chord's fifth. It runs from E on string 6 up to F# on string 1.

The open strings add notes to Emaj9 too. String 6 gives E and string 2 gives B. Your hand covers two frets, from 1 to 2. There is one more position, starting at fret 6.

Change only string 1 in Emaj9 and you have Emaj7. Inside Emaj9 sits a complete B chord, made of B, D# and F#. Moving to E, you keep two fingers down.

Emaj9 belongs to four keys. In E major it is the Imaj9, in B major the IVmaj9 and in G# minor the VImaj9. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

01E E - C#m - F#m - B702G#m G#m - E - C#m - D#7
Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Emaj9)

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

E 1G# 3B 5D# 7F# 9

Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 0 (E)

String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Emaj9:

01

Folk

Standard Position
6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
○Open
EDegree 1
5th String (A)
Fret 2Finger 2
BDegree 5
4th String (D)
Fret 1Finger 1
D#Degree 7
3rd String (G)
Fret 1Finger 1
G#Degree 3
2nd String (B)
○Open
BDegree 5
1st String (High E)
Fret 2Finger 3
F#Degree 9

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 1 with your Index finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 2 with your Ring finger. Play open: 6th String (Low E), 2nd String (B).

02

Jazz shape

Inversion
4 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)
String Control (Muted & Active):
6th String (Low E)
×Muted
Do not play
Root
5th String (A)
Fret 7Finger 2
EDegree 1
4th String (D)
Fret 6Finger 1
G#Degree 3
3rd String (G)
Fret 8Finger 4
D#Degree 7
2nd String (B)
Fret 7Finger 3
F#Degree 9
1st String (High E)
×Muted
Do not play

Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 7 with your Middle finger, 4th String (D) at fret 6 with your Index finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 8 with your Pinky finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 7 with your Ring finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 1st String (High E).

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Emaj9)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

ItemIn this chord
Frets1 to 2
Fretting fingers3
Open6th and 2nd
Mutednone

What to check

The open 6th and 2nd strings sit next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Emaj9

Listen: Emaj9 → E · B7 · B

  1. Emaj9
  2. E
  3. Emaj9
  4. B7
  5. Emaj9
  6. B
Emaj9 → E01
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 fingers stay
Stay in place
  • finger 2: string 5, fret 2
  • finger 1: string 3, fret 1
Move
  • finger 3: string 4, fret 2
Emaj9 → B702
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 fingers stay
Stay in place
  • finger 2: string 5, fret 2
  • finger 1: string 4, fret 1
Move
  • finger 3: string 3, fret 2
  • finger 4: string 1, fret 2
Emaj9 → B03
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions
Stay in place
  • string 5, fret 2
  • string 1, fret 2
Move
  • string 4, fret 4
  • string 3, fret 4
  • string 2, fret 4

Emaj9 in every key

Emaj9 sits in the scale of 4 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty
1/5
Highest fret
2
Frets the hand covers
2
Barre
No
Strings that ring
6/6
Fretting fingers
3

Emaj9 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 (Emaj9)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Emaj9 chord?

To play the Emaj9 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.

What is the root bass note of the Emaj9 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Emaj9 chord is its root note: 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.

What notes make up the Emaj9 chord and what is its formula?

The Emaj9 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 formula (Major Seventh with Ninth). Its constituent pitches are E, G#, B, D#, F#.

How do you prevent the Emaj9 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the Emaj9 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 Emaj9 chord diagram

Emaj9 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4
Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the E family:

Chord E Chord Eb Chord Em Chord Ebm Chord E7 Chord Eb7 Chord Emaj7 Chord Ebmaj7