C9 chord on ukulele

C9 is C, E, G, B♭ and D. The easiest shape is 3-2-0-3. Hit Play and watch each string light as it sounds.

3-2-0-3 · open · easy

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

How to play C9 on ukulele

Shape 1, 3-2-0-3, reading from the G string on the left:

Index finger: C string, 2nd fret (D).
Middle finger: G string, 3rd fret (B♭).
Ring finger: A string, 3rd fret (C).
Let the open E string ring (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.
On ukulele you strum all four strings. The top G string is tuned higher than the C, which is why ukulele chords sound bright and close.

Other ways to play C9

7-10-8-7: movable shape at the 7th fret, medium. Higher up the neck it sounds brighter; handy when another guitar is already playing a lower shape.

C9 chord changes

Songs rarely hold C9 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

F (dominant, pulls to the chord a fifth below): C9 (3-2-0-3) to F (2-0-1-0): move the index finger to the E string, 1st fret, move the middle finger to the G string, 2nd fret. Shared note: C. F on ukulele
Fmaj7 (I in F major): C9 (3-2-0-3) to Fmaj7 (2-4-1-3): your ring finger stays put, the index finger goes to the E string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, the pinky finger comes down on the C string, 4th fret. The two chords share C and E, which is why the change sounds smooth. Fmaj7 on ukulele
Dm7 (vi in F major): C9 (3-2-0-3) to Dm7 (2-2-1-3): your index finger lands on the E string, 1st fret, the middle finger goes to the G string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the C string, 2nd fret, the pinky finger comes down on the A string, 3rd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Listen for C and D, which stay put while the rest moves. Dm7 on ukulele

C9 is a dominant ninth: C7 with the ninth on top. With four strings, shape 1 leaves out the perfect fifth (G); the ear fills it in, and the chord still reads as C9. The usual guitar shape, x-3-2-3-3-0, drops G too. On ukulele you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

Practice C9 in two minutes

Arpeggiate 3-2-0-3 from the lowest string: B♭, D, E, C. Then strum it and listen for the same 4 notes together. Finish by moving between 3-2-0-3 and 7-10-8-7 to learn two positions of the same chord.

Keys and progressions with C9

C9 contains C, E, G, B♭ and D. These notes all belong to F major, where C9 can function as V9. They also belong to the D natural minor collection; that shared note set does not, by itself, determine the chord’s function in a progression.

C9 on guitar and piano

C9 on guitar and piano uses the same 5 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Related C chords on ukulele

Other dominant ninth chords

C9 on ukulele: questions

What notes are in C9 on ukulele?

C, E, G, B♭ and D. In the 3-2-0-3 shape the strings play B♭ (G string), D (C string), E (E string, open) and C (A string).

What's the easiest way to play C9 on ukulele?

3-2-0-3, the shape at the top of this page. Open strings do part of the work, so no barre.

Is C9 a barre chord on ukulele?

Not the usual shape: 3-2-0-3 needs no barre.

Which string does C9 start on?

In the 3-2-0-3 shape the lowest string you play is the G string at the 3rd fret, which is B♭, the minor seventh.

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes C, E, G, B♭ and D and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.