Piano · Level 7 · Advanced
Ninth chords in C major on Piano
Don’t just read about Ninth chords in C major. Play it.
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Ninth chords stack one more third on top of a seventh chord. They are the lush sound of neo-soul, R&B and modern jazz.
Dm9
Notes: D · F · A · C · E
G9
Notes: G · B · D · F · A
Cmaj9
Notes: C · E · G · B · D
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: Dm9, G9 and Cmaj9. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
- Set the tempo to 66 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Voice the ninth near the top of the chord so it can be heard.
- Play the left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
- Raise the tempo to 88 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for a rich, wide sound in which no note sticks out.
Listen for
Aim for a rich, wide sound in which no note sticks out. A common mistake is playing every note so loud that the chord gets muddy.
Why it works
On guitar and ukulele the fifth is usually left out of ninth chords to keep the voicing playable.
C major has no sharps or flats; its relative minor key is A minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii9–V9–Imaj9 in C major?
In C major the progression is Dm9 | G9 | Cmaj9 | Cmaj9.
What is the key signature of C major?
C major has no sharps or flats. Its relative minor is A minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 7 lesson (advanced). If it feels too hard, start with “The minor blues”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
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