Chord Shapes

Major 6/9

Intervals: 1-3-5-6-9. A very smooth, modern major tonic sonority that omits the 7th and instead uses 6 and 9, effectively outlining the major pentatonic scale. It is a favourite final chord colour in ballads and bossa novas (e.g. many performances of “The Girl from Ipanema” end on a I6/9). The absence of the leading tone makes the chord feel open and consonant, as if the key has relaxed rather than snapped shut. Voicings typically omit the 5th and present 3-6-9 around the root. Use it on I or IV whenever you want a serene, jazz-inflected major without any hint of tension.