Emmaj9

EmMaj9 is E, G, B, D# and F#, a minor major ninth. The shape this page opens on is written 021002, lowest string first.

Also written EmM9, Em(maj9) or E-Δ9. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 9 common shapes for EmMaj9 on the guitar, and 38 derived voicings in 5 families.

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 021002, 0x4443, 222443, x7587x, 0-10-9-8-7-0, 7-10-9-8-7-7, 12-10-x-11-12-11, 12-10-13-11-x-x, 12-14-13-12-12-14.

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. EmMaj9 has xx2042, x7587x, 12-10-13-11-x-x, x7x042.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. EmMaj9 has xx2042, x6405x, 2620xx, x7587x, 12-10-13-11-x-x, 3748xx, xx4853, x-9-13-9-8-x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. EmMaj9 has 2x204x, x6x052, x-9-x-9-8-11, x7x873, 3x485x, 12-x-13-11-8-x.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. EmMaj9 has xx1002, x2404x, xx4443, x9988x, x-x-13-12-12-14, x2x042, x6x473, x6547x.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. EmMaj9 has 004443, 06547x, x65470, 00404x, 064000, 0x4040.

Tensions. A shell of EmMaj9, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 11 (A) and the 13 (C#).

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