A9 chord on guitar

A9 is A, C♯, E, G and B. The usual shape is 5-4-2-0-0-0. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

5-4-2-0-0-0 · open · medium

Notes: A · C♯ · E · G · B
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9
First shape: 5-4-2-0-0-0

How to play A9 on guitar

Shape 1, 5-4-2-0-0-0, reading from the low E string on the left:

E: index finger, 2nd fret of the D string.
C♯: middle finger, 4th fret of the A string.
A: ring finger, 5th fret of the low E string.
Leave the G, B and high E strings open: G, B and E.

Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.
This one reaches. Let the thumb slide lower on the neck and the stretch gets noticeably easier.

Other ways to play A9

5-7-5-6-5-7: barre shape at the 5th fret, medium. Built on the E9 open shape with the barre as a movable nut; the root is on the 6th string.
x-12-9-12-10-9: partial barre shape at the 9th fret, medium. Higher up the neck it sounds brighter; handy when another guitar is already playing a lower shape.

Playing A9 with a capo

No barre needed if a capo is allowed: capo on the 5th fret and play the open E9 shape (0-2-0-1-0-2). The chord sounds as A9 because the capo raises every string by 5 half steps.

Changing from A9 to the chords around it

These are the changes you'll meet most often with A9, using the first shape of each chord.

D (dominant, pulls to the chord a fifth below): A9 (5-4-2-0-0-0) to D (x-x-0-2-3-2): the index finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, move the middle finger to the high E string, 2nd fret, the ring finger goes to the B string, 3rd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. A carries over from one chord to the other. D on guitar
Dmaj7 (I in D major): A9 (5-4-2-0-0-0) to Dmaj7 (x-x-0-2-2-2): the index finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, your middle finger lands on the B string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the high E string, 2nd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. Listen for A and C♯, which stay put while the rest moves. Dmaj7 on guitar
Bm7 (vi in D major): A9 (5-4-2-0-0-0) to Bm7 (x-2-0-2-0-2): the index finger slides across to the A string at the same fret, the middle finger goes to the G string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the high E string, 2nd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Shared notes: A and B. Bm7 on guitar

A9 is a dominant ninth: A7 with the ninth on top. A9 is the funk and soul version of A7, fuller on top and still pulling toward its resolution. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

Practice A9 in two minutes

Arpeggiate 5-4-2-0-0-0 from the lowest string: A, C♯, E, G, B, E. Then strum it and listen for the same 6 notes together. Next, alternate 5-4-2-0-0-0 and 5-7-5-6-5-7, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

A9 in context

A9 on piano and ukulele

Switching instruments? Try A9 on ukulele or A9 on piano, or compare them on the A9 chord page.

Next to try on guitar

Other dominant ninth chords

A9 on guitar: questions

What notes are in A9 on guitar?

A, C♯, E, G and B. In the 5-4-2-0-0-0 shape the strings play A (low E string), C♯ (A string), E (D string), G (G string, open), B (B string, open) and E (high E string, open), so E is doubled.

What's the easiest way to play A9 on guitar?

A9 takes a little stretching on guitar; start with 5-4-2-0-0-0. It uses 3 fingers and no barre, with open strings, and a capo can make it easier in some songs.

Is A9 a barre chord on guitar?

Not usually: 5-4-2-0-0-0 needs no barre. The barre versions come later, higher on the neck.

Which string does A9 start on?

In the 5-4-2-0-0-0 shape the lowest string you play is the low E string at the 5th fret, which is A, the root.

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside A9. Updated September 2026.