F#maj9

F#maj9 is F#, A#, C#, E# and G#, a major ninth. The shape this page opens on is written 213121, lowest string first.

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

There are 12 common shapes for F#maj9 on the guitar, and 39 derived voicings in 4 families.

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

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 213121, 243324, xx3324, xx4364, 644664, x96666, x-9-8-10-9-x, 9-9-8-10-9-x, x-11-11-11-11-13, x-x-11-13-11-13, 14-11-11-11-11-13, 14-13-15-13-14-13.

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. F#maj9 has 2131xx, x-9-8-10-9-x, 14-13-15-13-x-x, xx4364.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. F#maj9 has 2131xx, x-9-8-10-9-x, 14-13-15-13-x-x, xx4364, 6-9-6-10-x-x, x-x-6-10-7-6, x-11-15-11-11-x, x-x-15-13-11-14.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. F#maj9 has 4x436x, x-9-x-10-9-6, 6-x-6-10-7-x, x-11-x-11-11-13, 14-x-15-13-11-x, x1x162, x8x374, 13-x-8-11-9-x.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. F#maj9 has x1312x, xx3324, xx6666, x-x-8-10-9-9, x-11-11-10-11-x, x-x-11-13-11-13, x-13-15-13-14-x, x1x121.

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

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