About the G9 chord
The dominant ninth extends a seventh chord with the ninth. It is the sound of funk and soul rhythm guitar, and a richer substitute for any dominant seventh. The symbol for it is G9.
How to play G9
- Put your index finger on the high E string at fret 1.
- Put your middle finger on the G string at fret 2.
- Put your ring finger on the low E string at fret 3.
- Strum and let the D and B strings ring open, and don't play the A string.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Chords in the key of G major
These are the chords built on each note of the G major scale, so they all sound good together with G9. The Roman numeral under each one is its position in the key.
Other G chords
G9 chord questions
What notes are in a G9 chord?
G9 is made of G, B, D, F and A. In intervals that is 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 9 above the root, G.
What is the easiest way to play G9?
The first shape above is the most common one: 3 x 0 2 0 1 from the low E string to the high E, where x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. Start there, and try the other shapes once it feels comfortable.
Is G9 a barre chord?
The main shape above is an open chord with no barre. Some of the other shapes further up the neck do use a barre, which lets you move the same shape to any key.