Fmaj9: F Major 9th Piano Chord

Scale degree, note, and interval measured from the root.
Degree	Note	Interval from root	Semitones
1	F	Perfect unison	0
3	A	Major third	4
5	C	Perfect fifth	7
7	E	Major seventh	11
9	G	Major ninth	14

Construction

F Major 9th = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Major 7th + Major 2nd = F, A, C, E, G

Note	Interval	Degree
F	Root	1
A	Major 3rd	3
C	Perfect 5th	5
E	Major 7th	7
G	Major 2nd	9

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
F	white	thumb (1)	little finger (5)
A	white	index finger (2)	ring finger (4)
C	white	middle finger (3)	middle finger (3)
E	white	ring finger (4)	index finger (2)
G	white	little finger (5)	thumb (1)

Right hand: thumb (1) on F, index finger (2) on A, middle finger (3) on C, ring finger (4) on E, little finger (5) on G.

Left hand: little finger (5) on F, ring finger (4) on A, middle finger (3) on C, index finger (2) on E, thumb (1) on G.

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the F Major 9th is the tonic (I) chord of F Major, whose key signature has 1 flat (B♭).

B♭

Order of flats

Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Chords in the Key of F Major

These are the triads built on each degree of F Major:

I — F Major (major)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	I	F Major	Major
2	ii	G Minor	Minor
3	iii	A Minor	Minor
4	IV	B♭ Major	Major
5	V	C Major	Major
6	vi	D Minor	Minor
7	vii°	E Diminished	Diminished

Scales That Include the F Major 9th

C Major (IV)
F Major (I)
A Minor (VI)
D Minor (III)
D Dorian (III)
E Phrygian (II)
F Lydian (I)
G Mixolydian (VII)

F Major 9th : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the F Major 9th chord on piano?

The F Major 9th chord contains the notes F – A – C – E – G. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.

What notes are in the F Major 9th chord?

The F Major 9th chord (Fmaj9) contains five notes: F (root), A (major third), C (perfect fifth), E (major seventh), and G (major ninth). It is Fmaj7 with an added ninth.

How does Fmaj9 differ from F9?

Fmaj9 has a major seventh (E). F9 has a minor seventh (Eb). Fmaj9 is lush and resolved; F9 is dominant and tense.

How is Fmaj9 used in music?

Fmaj9 is the IV chord in C Major jazz harmony: one of the most beautiful chord sounds in music. It appears in bossa nova, jazz ballads, neo-soul, and sophisticated pop.

What songs use Major 9th chords?

Major 9th chords are signature sounds of neo-soul, jazz, and lo-fi. Fmaj9 as the IV in C Major is one of the most commonly heard maj9 voicings.

How does Fmaj9 differ from Fadd9?

Fmaj9 includes the major seventh (E). Fadd9 has no seventh. Fmaj9 is warmer and more complex.

Do I need to play all five notes?

No: drop the fifth: F–A–E–G is the practical voicing. All white keys, one of the easiest maj9 voicings.

F Major 9th in detail

Exact

Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Close, root position	F3 A3 C4 E4 G4	14	193 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	A3 C4 E4 F4 G4	10	138 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	C4 E4 F4 G4 A4	9	124 mm	none	identical
Close, third inversion	E4 F4 G4 A4 C5	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, fourth inversion	G3 A3 C4 E4 F4	10	138 mm	none	identical
Drop 2	E3 F3 A3 C4 G4	15	206 mm	none	identical
Drop 3	C3 F3 A3 E4 G4	19	261 mm	none	identical
Drop 2 and 4	A2 E3 F3 C4 G4	22	303 mm	none	identical

Reduced

A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Shell, root 9 3	F2 G3 A3	16	220 mm	omits C	subset
Guide tones, 3 and 9	A3 G4	10	138 mm	omits F and C	subset
Rootless close	A3 C4 E4 G4	10	138 mm	omits F	subset

Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).

Position	Bass note	Notes in order	Figured bass	Semitones	Span
Root position	F	F3, A3, C4, E4, G4	9	14	193 mm
First inversion: Fmaj9/A	A	A3, C4, E4, F4, G4	7/6/5	10	138 mm
Second inversion: Fmaj9/C	C	C4, E4, F4, G4, A4	7/4/3	9	124 mm
Third inversion: Fmaj9/E	E	E4, F4, G4, A4, C5	7/4/2	8	110 mm
Fourth inversion: Fmaj9/G	G	G3, A3, C4, E4, F4	9/7/5	10	138 mm

One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.

Change one note

Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.

Chord	Change	Formula	Common tones
Fmaj7	drops G	1 3 5 7	4
Fadd9	drops E	1 3 5 9	4
F9	E becomes E♭	1 3 5 ♭7 9	4
F7	E, G becomes E♭	1 3 5 ♭7	3
FmMaj7	A, G becomes A♭	1 ♭3 5 7	3
F6	E, G becomes D	1 3 5 6	3
Fm9	A, E becomes A♭, E♭	1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9	3

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
F3	53	174.61 Hz
A3	57	220.00 Hz
C4	60	261.63 Hz
E4	64	329.63 Hz
G4	67	392.00 Hz

Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {5, 9, 0, 4, 7}
Normal order: [4, 5, 7, 9, 0]
Prime form: (01358)
Forte number: not claimed for this cardinality
Interval vector: <122230>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
F to A	Major third	4	4
F to C	Perfect fifth	7	5
F to E	Major seventh	11	1
F to G	Major ninth	14	2
A to C	Minor third	3	3
A to E	Perfect fifth	7	5
A to G	Minor seventh	10	2
C to E	Major third	4	4
C to G	Perfect fifth	7	5
E to G	Minor third	3	3

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a major 9th applied to the root F, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.

F Major 9th

Fingerings

F Major 9th: notes and degrees