Arpeggio
A maj9
Major
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9
- Notes
- A C♯ E G♯ B
Notation
Fretboard — frets 0–24
Degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | perfect unison | 0 | The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves. |
| 3 | C♯ | 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 | E | perfect fifth | 7 | The perfect fifth — the root's strongest companion; it anchors every triad and stacked-seventh quality. |
| 7 | G♯ | major seventh | 11 | The major seventh — the leading tone a half-step under the root; in maj7 it glows, in harmonic minor it sharpens the pull home. |
| 9 | B | 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 major ninth chord extends the major seventh with a ninth, adding a layer of shimmer above an already luminous harmony. The seventh still supplies the soft pull toward the root, while the ninth floats a whole step higher, bright and bell-like. This is the sound of smooth jazz, neo-soul and modern gospel: rich but not crowded, because the fifth is usually the first note players drop when the voicing gets tight. Arpeggiated in one position, it spreads five notes across a comfortable stretch. Listen for the ninth sitting on top of the seventh — it is the note that makes the chord sound wide rather than merely tall.
How to practise this arpeggio
- Play the ninth last and let it float above the seventh.
- Comp the shape in a high position to hear the ninth as the melody note.
- Omit the fifth and check that the chord still sounds complete.
- Loop it over a static major chord and improvise with the top two notes.