Which notes are in the D#9 chord?

D#9 contains the notes D#, G, A#, C# and F. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 – 9.

How many ways can you play D#9?

Minory lists 2 guitar fingerings for D#9, 1 of which is a barre shape. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.

Is the D#9 chord hard to play?

Not really. The open position of D#9 uses open strings and needs no barre, which makes it approachable for beginners.

Are D#9 and Eb9 the same chord?

Yes. D#9 and Eb9 are enharmonically identical — the spelling differs but the frets and keys are the same. Which name is used depends on the key of the piece.

D# dominant 9th · Guitar

D#9 Chord on Guitar

The D#9 chord (D# dominant 9th) is built from the notes D#, G, A#, C# and F. 2 different guitar fingerings for it are shown below. The same chord is also written Eb9; both spellings sound identical.

Chord diagrams

Position 1open position

Fingering

string 6 (E): muted
string 5 (A): muted
string 4 (D): fret 1 — index finger
string 3 (G): played open
string 2 (B): fret 2 — ring finger
string 1 (E): fret 1 — middle finger

Position 2barre shape · starts at fret 5

Fingering

string 6 (E): muted
string 5 (A): fret 6 — middle finger
string 4 (D): fret 5 — index finger
string 3 (G): fret 6 — ring finger
string 2 (B): fret 6 — ring finger
string 1 (E): fret 6 — ring finger

Notes in this chord

D♯
G
A♯
C♯
F

Degrees: 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 – 9

Also written: Eb9

How to play

D#9 has 1 open position and 1 barre shape. Start with the open voicing if you are new to it; the barre shapes exist to move the same chord further up the neck without changing the key.

Theory behind the chord

Dominant ninth chords extend the dominant seventh with a ninth on top. They keep the pull of a seventh chord but sound fuller and more coloured, which is why funk and soul rhythm parts lean on them. On D#9 this structure sits on the root D#, so the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 – 9 map onto D#, G, A#, C# and F.

Frequently asked questions

Which notes are in the D#9 chord?: D#9 contains the notes D#, G, A#, C# and F. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 – 9.
How many ways can you play D#9?: Minory lists 2 guitar fingerings for D#9, 1 of which is a barre shape. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.
Is the D#9 chord hard to play?: Not really. The open position of D#9 uses open strings and needs no barre, which makes it approachable for beginners.
Are D#9 and Eb9 the same chord?: Yes. D#9 and Eb9 are enharmonically identical — the spelling differs but the frets and keys are the same. Which name is used depends on the key of the piece.

Practise D#9 on your phone

Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.