About the E♭maj9 chord
The major ninth adds the ninth to a major seventh chord. It is one of the prettiest chords on the guitar, with a floating, open quality. The symbol for it is E♭maj9. (also written D♯maj9)
How to play E♭maj9
- Lay your index finger flat across the top 4 strings at fret 3, pressing just behind the fret.
- Put your middle finger on the A string at fret 6.
- Strum and don't play the low E string.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Chords in the key of E♭ major
These are the chords built on each note of the E♭ major scale, so they all sound good together with E♭maj9. The Roman numeral under each one is its position in the key.
Other E♭ chords
E♭maj9 chord questions
What notes are in a E♭maj9 chord?
E♭maj9 is made of E♭, G, B♭, D and F. In intervals that is 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 above the root, E♭.
What is the easiest way to play E♭maj9?
The first shape above is the most common one: x 6 3 3 3 3 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 E♭maj9 a barre chord?
The main shape uses a barre, where one finger holds down several strings at once. Press just behind the fret and roll the finger slightly onto its side.