C sixth, added ninth
How to play C6/9 — Sixth, added ninth
C6/9 (Sixth, added ninth)C · E · G · A · D
Guitar samples: Acoustic guitar — University of Iowa (via tonejs-instruments, CC-BY 3.0)
C sixth, added ninth — notes and structure
The C6/9 chord is a major sixth chord with an added ninth — lush, and a favourite final chord in jazz.
The C6/9 sixth, added ninth consists of the notes C, E, G, A, D. Its interval structure is R–3–5–6–9 — the root, then each chord tone stacked above it. This is the same chord you see in the interactive finder above, drawn on the guitar fretboard with the root circled and every chord tone labelled.
C6/9 stacks a major third (E), a perfect fifth (G), a major sixth (A) and a ninth (D) above the root C.
The finder shows 2 ways to play C6/9 — an open-position shape reaching up to the 10th fret. 1 of them use a barre.
What key is C6/9 in?
Every note of C6/9 belongs to the scales below, so the chord sounds at home in each of these keys — the roman numeral is the degree it sits on.
- C major — the I chord
- G major — the IV chord
- F major — the V chord
- A minor — the III chord
Chords that go with C6/9
In C major, the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth degrees carry most songs — put C6/9 next to these:
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the C sixth, added ninth chord?
- The C6/9 chord contains the notes C, E, G, A, D. It is a major sixth chord with an added ninth — lush, and a favourite final chord in jazz.
- How many ways can you play C6/9 on guitar?
- 2 voicings are shown on this page — from open position up the neck — each with its own fingering diagram and audio.
- Is C6/9 a hard chord to play?
- Some voicings use a barre, which takes practice, but the chord is very playable once that shape is comfortable.
- What key does C6/9 belong to?
- C6/9 fits C major (where it is the I chord), G major (where it is the IV chord), F major (where it is the V chord) — every note of the chord is in those scales.