Chords
C9
A dominant 7 with a funky 9th on top.
C E G B♭ D · 1 3 5 ♭7 9
A dominant 9 chord stacks a 9th on top of a dominant 7 — keeping all the pull of the 7, but adding a smooth, funky richness.
Every voicing on the neck
The idea
Dominant 7 plus a 9th
C9 is C E G B♭ D — a C7 (C E G B♭) with the 9th (D) added on top. It still has the tritone tension of a dominant 7, now with extra color.
- Notes: R 3 5 ♭7 9 = C E G B♭ D.
- It's a C7 with the 9 (D) stacked on top.
- The 3 and ♭7 still form the dominant tritone.
Where it lives
Funk, blues and soul
The dominant 9 is the funk chord — think James Brown stabs. Use it anywhere a plain 7 works, when you want a richer, groovier dominant.
- Use it in place of a plain 7 for funk and soul.
- The classic 'James Brown' rhythm-guitar chord.
- Movable shape — slide it around the neck.
Add a 9th to a dominant 7 and you keep all its pull while gaining that unmistakable funk-and-soul richness.
Practice it in the app
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