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Guitar chords · Dominant 7th sharp 9th

C7♯9 chord on guitar (C7#9)

C7♯9 (C sharp 9th) has five notes: C, E, G, B♭ and D♯, the , 3, 5, ♭7 and ♯9.

Shapes

How to play C7♯9

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

C7♯9 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 3 or the E shape at fret 8. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 3

    ××R3♭7♯9CEB♭D♯
  • E shape · fret 8

    8fr×R♭73♭7♯9CB♭EB♭D♯
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes C7♯9 dominant 7th sharp 9th

A 7♯9 chord is a chord with a raised 9th on top. The ♯9 sounds like a minor 3rd against the major 3rd, a deliberate clash; the chord is known as the Hendrix chord, at home in blues, funk and rock.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The 3rd, the ♭7th and the ♯9th make C7♯9 a sharp 9th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. CRroot
  2. E3essential
  3. G5optional
  4. B♭♭7essential
  5. D♯♯9essential
EADGBE0135791215CCCCCCCCEGB♭D♯EGB♭D♯EGB♭D♯EGB♭D♯EGB♭D♯EGB♭D♯EGB♭EGB♭D♯EG
  • C, the root
  • Other chord tones

As a V chord, C7♯9 resolves to F or, more often, Fm: the V7♯9–i move.

Keys

Keys with C7♯9

C7♯9 fits no major or minor key: its ♯9 (D♯) rubs against the major 3rd on purpose. It is the sound of blues, funk and rock, played as the I chord of a blues in C or as a V chord resolving to F.

Slash chords

C7♯9 over another bass note

A keeps C7♯9 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • C7♯9/E

    C7♯9 with its 3rd, E, in the bass.

  • C7♯9/G

    C7♯9 with its 5th, G, in the bass.

  • C7♯9/B♭

    C7♯9 with its ♭7th, B♭, in the bass.

Questions

C7♯9, in short

What notes are in the C7♯9 chord?
C7♯9 (C sharp 9th) has five notes: C, E, G, B♭ and D♯, the , 3, 5, ♭7 and ♯9.
How do you play C7♯9 on guitar?
C7♯9 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 3 or the E shape at fret 8.
What key is C7♯9 in?
C7♯9 fits no major or minor key: its ♯9 (D♯) rubs against the major 3rd on purpose. It is the sound of blues, funk and rock, played as the I chord of a blues in C or as a V chord resolving to F.
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