B Major 9th
Bmaj9
Notes
B · D♯ · F♯ · A♯ · C♯
Intervals
- RootB (1P)
- Major 3rdD♯ (3M)
- Perfect 5thF♯ (5P)
- Major 7thA♯ (7M)
- Major 9thC♯ (9M)
Fretboard
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
Voicings & shapes
Rootless voicings (A / B form) (4)
About
The B major 9th (B–D♯–F♯–A♯–C♯) extends a maj7 with a ninth. The result combines the gentle shimmer of the major-7 interval with the openness of the C♯. The 3rd, 7th, and 9th are the essential tones — the 5th is typically dropped on guitar, since it adds little harmonic information and clutters the voicing. Common in jazz and R&B as a tonic or subdominant color. Compared to BMaj7, maj9 feels more expansive and less static; the added 9th breathes air into the chord without introducing tension. Compared to B6/9, it is more harmonically active because of the 7th.
Chord diagrams
B Major 9th voicing charts — tap a sheet to open it full size to save or print.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- B Lydian (I)
- B Major (I)
- A♭ Dorian (III)
- A♭ Natural Minor (III)
- B♭ Locrian (II)
- B♭ Phrygian (II)
- D♭ Dorian (VII)
- D♭ Mixolydian (VII)
- E Lydian (V)
- E♭ Natural Minor (VI)
- E♭ Phrygian (VI)
- F Locrian (V)
- F♯ Major (IV)
- F♯ Mixolydian (IV)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.