Cmaj9 chord on 6-String Guitar – Drop E

in Drop E (E-B-E-A-C#-F#) tuning

Root

Type

Tuning

Cmaj9

Major 9

Notes:C · E · G · B · D

medium

Piano Left hand Right hand

Fingerings (16)

Cmaj9 shapes as text

Frets	Fingers	Notes	Difficulty
x 1 0 2 1 1	– 1 – 4 2 3	x C E B D G	medium
x 3 x 2 3 6	– 2 – 1 3 4	x D x B E C	hard
3 3 3 3 3 5	1 1 1 1 1 2	G D G C E B	medium · barre on fret 3
8 5 7 5 6 5	4 1 3 1 2 1	C E B D G B	medium · barre on fret 5
0 0 8 7 6 8	– – 3 2 1 4	E B C E G D	medium
x x 8 7 10 8	– – 2 1 4 3	x x C E B D	medium
8 8 12 10 10 8	1 1 4 2 3 1	C G E G B D	hard · barre on fret 8
10 12 10 10 11 10	1 3 1 1 2 1	D B D G C E	medium · barre on fret 10
x 1 0 2 1 x	– 1 – 3 2 –	x C E B D x	easy
x 3 3 3 3 5	– 1 1 1 1 2	x D G C E B	medium · barre on fret 3
8 5 8 5 6 5	3 1 4 1 2 1	C E C D G B	medium · barre on fret 5
8 0 0 7 6 8	3 – – 2 1 4	C B E E G D	medium
8 x 7 7 x 8	3 – 1 2 – 4	C x B E x D	hard
8 x 0 10 10 8	1 – – 3 4 2	C x E G B D	hard
10 12 12 10 11 10	1 3 4 1 2 1	D B E G C E	medium · barre on fret 10
0 1 0 2 1 1	– 1 – 4 2 3	E C E B D G	medium

Max fret: 12

Fingerings shown: 16

The Cmaj9 chord (Major 9) is built from the notes C, E, G, B, D. Below are playable fingerings for 6-String Guitar – Drop E generated for your selected tuning, ordered from open-position shapes up the neck. Tap a diagram to hear it, or switch to the piano view to see the same harmony on keys.

How the Cmaj9 chord is built

Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 9

Degree	Semitones	Note
1	0	C
3	4	E
5	7	G
7	11	B
9	14	D

More C chords

C Cm C7 C°C+C9 Cmaj7 Cm7 C7♯5 C7♭5 C6 Cm6 Cm7♭5 C°7 Csus2 Csus4 Cadd9 Cm9 C5

Other roots

C#maj9 Dmaj9 D#maj9 Emaj9 Fmaj9 F#maj9 Gmaj9 G#maj9 Amaj9 A#maj9 Bmaj9

See Cmaj9 in another tuning

Standard E E-A-D-G-B-E Half Step Down (Eb) D#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#Drop D D-A-D-G-B-E Drop E E-B-E-A-C#-F#Open D D-A-D-F#-A-D Open G D-G-D-G-B-D DADGAD (D Modal) D-A-D-G-A-D

What notes make up the Cmaj9 chord?

Cmaj9 is a Major 9 chord built from the notes C, E, G, B, D.

How do I read the diagram?

Strings run left to right from the lowest to the first string; the numbers show which finger presses each fret. An ○ marks an open string, an ✕ marks a muted one.