7#9 chords

The 7th sharp 9th chord a.k.a. the Hendrix chord is an alternate seventh chord. This chord is a dominant seventh with a sharpened ninth. By comparing C7 with C7#9 we could see that the notes changes from C, E, G, Bb to C, E, G, Bb, D#.

The absolutely most common way to play the sharp nine chord is be the movable shape presented in the diagrams below. The same chord shape is used over the fretboard with the bass note on the 5th string.

7#9

C7#9

C#7#9

D7#9

D#7#9

E7#9

F7#9

F#7#9

G7#9

G#7#9

A7#9

A#7#9

B7#9

Comments

A#7#9 could of course also be played as x1012x. C#7#9 is the same chord as Db7#9 and son on.

The seventh sharp nine chord can also be written with a plus instead of the sharp symbol, such as C7+9.

Hendrix style

As mentioned, this particular chord is also called "the Hendrix chord". The guitar legend Jimi Hendrix favored the chord, and you could easily get some Hendrix feel from your guitar by playing for example E7#9. Try to combine strumming the E7#9 and playing only on the low e-string.

Chord formula

The seventh sharp ninth is built with the formula 1-3-5-b7-#9. This includes the root (1), the third (3), the perfect fifth (5), the minor seventh (b7) and a raised ninth (#9).

Chord construction

C7#9 x - x - C - E - Bb - D#
C#7#9 x - x - C# - F - B - E
D7#9 x - x - D - F# - C - F
D#7#9 x - x - D# - G - C# - F#
E7#9 x - x - E - G# - D - G
F7#9 x - x - F - A - D# - G#
F#7#9 x - x - F# - A# - E - A
G7#9 x - x - G - B - F - A#
G#7#9 x - x - G# - C - F# - B
A7#9 x - x - A - C# - G - C
A#7#9 x - x - A# - D - G# - C#
B7#9 x - x - B - D# - A - D
Guitar versions of the chord

Notes in chord

C7#9 C - E - G - Bb - D#
C#7#9 C# - F - G# - B - E
D7#9 D - F# - A - C - F
D#7#9 D# - G - A# - C# - F#
E7#9 E - G# - B - D - G
F7#9 F - A - C - D# - G#
F#7#9 F# - A# - C# - E - A
G7#9 G - B - D - F - A#
G#7#9 G# - C - D# - F# - B
A7#9 A - C# - E - G - C
A#7#9 A# - D - F - G# - C#
B7#9 B - D# - F# - A - D
The intervals are 1 – 3 – 5 – b7 - #9

Chord progressions

Progressions including this chord type:

C - G - D - A - E7#9

D7#9 - C9 - G7

Chord comparisons

The seven sharp nine chord has similarities with the dominant seventh and the seven sharp nine:

Chord construction

C7 x - C - E - Bb - C - E
C7#9 x - C - E - Bb - D# - x
C9 x - C - E - Bb - D - G
Guitar versions of the chord

Notes in chord

C7 C - E - G - Bb
C7#9 C - E - G - Bb - D#
C9 C - E - G - Bb - D
Theoretical order of notes

The C9 version above can also be played without a fifth, which is a common way to play the chord on the guitar.

Illustrated comparison with charts including intervals:

C7 chord diagram with intervals
C7 with C tone on 1st fret, 2nd string

C9 chord diagram with intervals
C9 with D tone (9) on 3rd fret, 2nd string

C7#9 chord diagram with intervals
C7#9 with D# tone (9#) on 4th fret, 2nd string

The charts show how the 9th in the chord is sharpened by moving it one step up.

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