C#maj9

C#maj9 is C#, E#, G#, B# and D#, a major ninth. The shape this page opens on is written x41111, lowest string first.

Also written C#M9, C#Δ9, C#ma9 or C# major 9. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 11 common shapes for C#maj9 on the guitar, and 36 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of C#maj9 belongs to C# major (the I), F minor (the ♭VI), Ab major (the IV) and Bb minor (the ♭III).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x41111, x4354x, 44354x, x66668, xx6868, 966668, 9-8-10-8-9-8, 9-11-10-10-9-11, x-x-10-10-9-11, x-x-11-10-13-11, 13-11-11-13-13-11.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. C#maj9 has x4354x, 9-8-10-8-x-x, x-x-11-10-13-11.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. C#maj9 has x4354x, 9-8-10-8-x-x, 1415xx, xx1521, x-6-10-6-6-x, x-x-10-8-6-9, x-x-11-10-13-11, xx3648.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. C#maj9 has x4x541, 1x152x, x6x668, 9-x-10-8-6-x, 11-x-11-10-13-x, 8x364x, x-8-x-8-13-9, x-15-x-10-14-11.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. C#maj9 has xx1111, xx3544, x6656x, xx6868, x-8-10-8-9-x, x-x-10-10-9-11, x-x-13-13-13-13, x3314x.

Tensions. A shell of C#maj9, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the #11 (F##) and the 13 (A#).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.