Chord Shapes

Major 9th

Intervals: 1-3-5-7-9. A maj7 chord with an added 9th, one of the most characteristic major colours in jazz, soul and fusion. The 9th adds lyrical brightness while the major 7th provides gentle tension. Many voicings omit the 5th and focus on 3-7-9 (sometimes with 13) around the root. On I it is a classic ballad and bossa nova sound (e.g. “Misty”, “Just the Two of Us”); on IV it can imply a Lydian flavoured subdominant. Use it for long tonic chords that need to feel both settled and harmonically rich.