F Major Ninth Guitar Chord Fingering
Welcome to our tutorial on the F maj9 chord. This chord, belonging to the Major Chords family, is a rich and complex sound that can add depth to your guitar playing. The notes that make up this chord are F, A, C, E, and G, and the intervals that construct this chord are 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.
For those unfamiliar with these terms, the complete names of the music intervals are as follows: 1: Root, b2: Minor Second, 2: Major Second, b3: Minor Third, 3: Major Third, 4: Perfect Fourth, b5: Diminished Fifth, #4: Augmented Fourth, 5: Perfect Fifth, b6: Minor Sixth, 6: Major Sixth, bb7: Diminished Seventh, b7: Minor Seventh, 7: Major Seventh, b9: Minor Ninth, 9: Major Ninth, 11: Perfect eleventh, and 13: Major thirteenth. These intervals are the building blocks of chords and understanding them is key to mastering the guitar. For a comprehensive understanding of these intervals, you can check out our fretboard intervals tutorial.
Our tutorial will provide you with chord diagrams and fretboard patterns showing the tones that compose the F maj9 chord. If you're interested in learning more about how chords are constructed by stacking intervals, you can visit our guitar music theory tutorial.
Once you've mastered the F maj9 chord, you can also explore our ninth chords tutorial to expand your knowledge and skills. Remember, practice is key to becoming a proficient guitarist. Happy playing!
Notes that compose the F maj9 chord:
Formula of the Major Ninth chord:
F Major Ninth Guitar Chord Voicings
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If you have difficulties with bar chord shapes, check the Bar Chords Tips tutorial.
You can also use this accessible chords page with written diagrams instruction.
Position 1
Movable
Position 2
Open
Position 3
Open
Position 4
Barre
Open
Position 5
Barre
Movable
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FAQ
What do the numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 represent in the F maj9 chord?
In music theory, these numbers represent specific musical intervals measured from the root note (F). For the F maj9 chord, '1' is the Root (F), '3' is the Major Third (A), '5' is the Perfect Fifth (C), '7' is the Major Seventh (E), and '9' is the Major Ninth (G).
Why does the F maj9 chord consist of five notes?
The F maj9 chord is defined by five distinct intervals: the 1st (Root), 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th. Each of these intervals corresponds to a unique note (F, A, C, E, G) relative to the root F, resulting in a five-note chord.
What do 'maj' and '9' signify in the chord name 'F maj9'?
In 'F maj9,' 'F' is the root note. 'maj' indicates that the chord includes a Major Seventh interval (E in this case), distinguishing it from a dominant 7th chord which uses a minor seventh. The '9' indicates the addition of a Major Ninth interval (G), which gives the chord its characteristic rich sound beyond a Major Seventh chord.
How are the notes F, A, C, E, and G specifically chosen to form an F maj9 chord?
These notes are derived directly from the fundamental intervals that define a maj9 chord, applied to the root note F. F is the 1st (Root), A is the Major 3rd, C is the Perfect 5th, E is the Major 7th, and G is the Major 9th. These are the specific pitches that create the F maj9 sound.
The tutorial lists many intervals like 'b2' and 'b3'. Are these part of the F maj9 chord?
No, while the tutorial provides a comprehensive list of all common intervals for general understanding, the F maj9 chord specifically uses only the 1 (Root), 3 (Major Third), 5 (Perfect Fifth), 7 (Major Seventh), and 9 (Major Ninth) intervals. Other intervals like 'b2' or 'b3' are not present in a standard F maj9 chord.
What does it mean to construct chords by 'stacking intervals'?
"Stacking intervals" refers to the process of building a chord by successively adding specific musical intervals on top of a root note. For the F maj9, you start with the root (F), then add the 3rd (A) on top, then the 5th (C), then the 7th (E), and finally the 9th (G). This method explains how the unique sound and structure of complex chords are created.