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Cmaj9 Piano Chord

A dreamy, lush sound. Popular in jazz, neo-soul and film music.

Piano

Recommended voicing
Left hand C3 · B3 fingers 5–1
Right hand E4 · D5 fingers 1–5

How to play the Cmaj9 chord on piano

Split the recommended voicing between the hands: play C3 and B3 with the left hand and E4 and D5 with the right. Suggested fingering is 5–1 on the left and 1–5 on the right (1 is the thumb). The perfect fifth G can usually be omitted from an extended chord, keeping the sound clear and the voicing manageable.

Notation for Cmaj9 chord

Other names: C major 9th

Music theory name: major ninth chord

Common name: C major ninth chord

Intervals and tones in Cmaj9 chord

Note Interval
C Root
E Major 3rd
G Perfect 5th
H Major 7th
D Major 9th

More chords with C as the root

The same chord type in other keys

Songs using Cmaj9

Apollo 11
Anna K.