Arpeggio
E 6/9
Major
- Formula
- 1 3 5 6 9
- Notes
- E G♯ B C♯ F♯
Notation
Fretboard — frets 0–24
Degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | perfect unison | 0 | The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves. |
| 3 | G♯ | major third | 4 | The major third — the bright note that makes a quality major; it defines the chord's colour and pulls gently toward the root. |
| 5 | B | perfect fifth | 7 | The perfect fifth — the root's strongest companion; it anchors every triad and stacked-seventh quality. |
| 6 | C♯ | major sixth | 9 | The major sixth — the hopeful note that separates dorian and m6 from their darker cousins; it sits a whole step above the fifth. |
| 9 | F♯ | major ninth | 14 | The major ninth — the second degree an octave up; it adds shimmer to maj9, 6/9 and the m9 family without changing the harmony. |
About this arpeggio
The 6/9 chord stacks a major sixth and a major ninth on top of the major triad, and omits the seventh entirely. The result is lush, sophisticated and completely settled — a favourite ending chord in bossa nova, soul and jazz ballads. Because the ninth is the second degree an octave up, the whole quality fits neatly under the fingers in one position, which is why it is often the first five-note arpeggio players learn. There is no tritone and no leading tone, so it never demands resolution. Listen for the bell-like top note: the ninth is what turns a plain major chord into a colour.
How to practise this arpeggio
- Play all five notes slowly, listening for the ninth as the top voice.
- Comp the chord in one position, then move it through a ii–V–I as a tonic sound.
- Drop the fifth and hear how the sixth and ninth still define the quality.
- Improvise over a bossa nova groove using only the 6/9 tones.