How To Play A C9 Chord On The Piano - Julie Swihart

Julie Swihart

Ninth Chords

Let’s look at how to play a C9 (“C ninth”) chord on the piano. This pattern can be used to build any ninth chord.

What Are Ninth Chords?

Ninth chords are major chords with two added notes. The added notes are the seventh note of the matching major scale, lowered 1/2 step, and the ninth note of the scale.

So to build a ninth chord, we’ll start by building a major chord. We can build a major chord using the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale.

Next we’ll find the seventh note of the matching major scale, lower it 1/2 step, and add it to the chord.

Then we’ll add the ninth note of the scale to the chord. Since a scale only has eight notes, to find the ninth note, we’ll repeat the scale into the next octave. The ninth note is the same as the second note of the scale, but one octave up.

Chord Types Printable

Learn to play 17 types of piano chords using 12 different root notes with this 35-page PDF! Chords are sorted both by their root note and type.

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How to Play a C9 Chord

Now let’s build a C9 chord. First, we’ll build a C major chord by playing the first, third and fifth notes of the C major scale: C – E – G.

Then we’ll find the seventh note of the C major scale, B, and lower it 1/2 step, to B♭.

Finally, we’ll add the ninth note by repeating the C major scale into the next octave. When we do, we find the ninth note is D.

So to play a C9 chord, we’ll play:

C – E – G – B♭ – D

Now you know how to play a C9 chord on the piano!

You can use this pattern to build any ninth chord on the piano. First play a major chord, then add the seventh note of the matching major scale, lowered 1/2 step. Then add the ninth note of the scale by repeating the scale into the next octave to find the ninth note.

Fingering

Ninth chords sound really pretty, but you probably can’t reach all those notes with your right hand only.

You can re-arrange them if you want, by moving the D back down to the position of a second. Or you can play the C with your left hand and the other notes with your right.

If you move the D down to the position of a second, you’ll need to play both the C and the D with your thumb at an angle, and play the other notes with fingers 2 – 3 – 5 (thumbs are 1’s).

If you play the C with your left hand and the other notes with your right, you can use fingers 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 to play the E – G – B♭ – D.

Other Chord Types

Some of the other chord types you can learn are:

MajorMinorAugmentedDiminishedSecondMinor secondSuspendedFifthSixthMinor SixthSeventhMinor SeventhMajor SeventhMinor ninthMajor ninth

Conclusion

Now you know how to play ninth chords on the piano! Learning different types of chords can help you play more creatively and freely at the piano.