E9 chord on guitar

E9 is E, G♯, B, D and F♯. The easiest shape is 0-2-0-1-0-2. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

0-2-0-1-0-2 · open · easy

Notes: E · G♯ · B · D · F♯
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9
First shape: 0-2-0-1-0-2

How to play E9 on guitar

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

Put your index finger on the G string at the 1st fret, which is G♯.
Put your middle finger on the A string at the 2nd fret, which is B.
Put your ring finger on the high E string at the 2nd fret, which is F♯.
The open low E, D and B strings add E, D and B; don't touch them.

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.

Other ways to play E9

12-14-12-13-12-14: barre shape at the 12th fret, medium. Root on the 6th string: move it up or down and it names a different dominant ninth chord.
x-7-4-7-5-4: partial barre shape at the 4th fret, medium. Use it when the next chord sits nearby on the neck.
12-9-9-9-9-10: 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.

E9 the capo way

A capo turns an open chord into E9: capo on the 4th fret and play the open C9 shape (x-3-2-3-3-3). Handy when the rest of the song's chords also have open shapes in that position.

E9 chord changes

The chords E9 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

A (dominant, pulls to the chord a fifth below): E9 (0-2-0-1-0-2) to A (x-0-2-2-2-0): your index finger lands on the D string, 2nd fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, the ring finger slides across to the B string at the same fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. The two chords share E, which is why the change sounds smooth. A on guitar
Amaj7 (I in A major): E9 (0-2-0-1-0-2) to Amaj7 (x-0-2-1-2-0): your index finger stays put, the middle finger slides across to the D string at the same fret, the ring finger slides across to the B string at the same fret. The two chords share E and G♯, which is why the change sounds smooth. Amaj7 on guitar
F♯m7 (vi in A major): E9 (0-2-0-1-0-2) to F♯m7 (2-4-2-2-2-2): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 2nd fret, the middle finger goes to the A string, 4th fret. Listen for E and F♯, which stay put while the rest moves. F♯m7 on guitar

E9 is a dominant ninth: E7 with the ninth on top. E9 is the funk and soul version of E7, fuller on top and still pulling toward its resolution. Play it once strummed and once picked to hear the difference.

A short E9 drill

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: E, B, D, G♯, B, F♯. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Finish by moving between 0-2-0-1-0-2 and 12-14-12-13-12-14 to learn two positions of the same chord.

Where E9 shows up

E9 on piano and ukulele

The same notes on another instrument: E9 on piano and E9 on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.

Close to E9

Other dominant ninth chords

E9 on guitar: questions

What notes are in E9 on guitar?

E, G♯, B, D and F♯. In the 0-2-0-1-0-2 shape the strings play E (low E string, open), B (A string), D (D string, open), G♯ (G string), B (B string, open) and F♯ (high E string), so B is doubled.

What's the easiest way to play E9 on guitar?

0-2-0-1-0-2, the shape at the top of this page. No barre: some strings ring open.

Is E9 a barre chord on guitar?

Not the usual shape: 0-2-0-1-0-2 needs no barre. There are barre versions further up the neck, shown below it.

Which string does E9 start on?

In the 0-2-0-1-0-2 shape the lowest string you play is the low E string, open, which is E, the root.

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside E9. Updated September 2026.