About the Bmaj9 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 Bmaj9.
How to play Bmaj9
- Lay your index finger flat across the top 5 strings at fret 4, pressing just behind the fret.
- Put your middle finger on the high E string at fret 6.
- Put your ring finger on the low E string at fret 7.
- Strum all six strings.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Chords in the key of B major
These are the chords built on each note of the B major scale, so they all sound good together with Bmaj9. The Roman numeral under each one is its position in the key.
Other B chords
Bmaj9 chord questions
What notes are in a Bmaj9 chord?
Bmaj9 is made of B, D♯, F♯, A♯ and C♯. In intervals that is 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 above the root, B.
What is the easiest way to play Bmaj9?
The first shape above is the most common one: 7 4 4 4 4 6 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 Bmaj9 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.