Amaj9 Piano Chord

Amaj9 is the A major ninth chord. It has five notes: A, C sharp, E, G sharp and B. That stack is wider than an octave, so most players give the A to the left hand and the other four notes to the right.

A at the bottom, then C sharp, E, G sharp and B. Right hand 1-2-3-4-5 if you can span a ninth; otherwise A goes to the left hand and the top four notes to the right.

How to play Amaj9 on piano, step by step

Start on the A below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
Thumb (1): A
Index finger (2): C♯
Middle finger (3): E
Ring finger (4): G♯
Little finger (5): B
That reach is wider than an octave, so most players split it: play A with the left hand and the other notes with the right. If you keep it in one hand, leave out the fifth (E), the note the chord misses least.

The two black keys, C sharp and G sharp, fall under the index and ring fingers, right where the hand naturally rises. Played as a split, the right hand gets C sharp, E, G sharp and B, a comfortable four note shape.

If it sounds wrong

The stretch is too wide: Nobody has to play all five notes in one hand. Put A in the left hand and let the right hand take C sharp, E, G sharp and B.
The chord sounds cluttered: Five notes close together can blur, especially lower down. Keep the chord around middle C, and drop the E, the fifth, if it still sounds thick.
It sounds bluesy rather than calm: That is G natural in place of G sharp. Amaj9 needs the major seventh, the black key a half step below the octave A.

What makes it an Amaj9

A · C♯ · E · G♯ · B 1 3 5 7 9

Amaj9 is Amaj7 with a ninth added: A, C sharp, E and G sharp make the major seventh chord, and the B on top makes it a ninth. Every note of Amaj7 keeps its job; the B just widens the top of the chord.

It is the I chord of A major at its softest and the landing chord of a ii V I in A. Major ninths sound settled but unhurried, which is why ballads, bossa nova and neo soul reach for them where a plain major would sound blunt.

Amaj9 vs Amaj7

Amaj9 is Amaj7 with a B added on top. Amaj7 is already gentle; the ninth widens it and makes it sound deliberately arranged rather than simply played.

The price is reach. Amaj7 fits one hand easily; Amaj9 spans a ninth, so it is usually split between hands. If a chart says maj7 and you want more colour, adding the ninth is rarely wrong.

Questions about Amaj9

Which notes are in an Amaj9 chord on piano?

A, C sharp, E, G sharp and B. C sharp and G sharp are black keys; the other three are white.

What is the difference between Amaj9 and A9?

A9 has G natural, the flat seventh, and pushes toward D. Amaj9 has G sharp and stays put. One drives, the other rests.

Why are there no inversions on this page?

Amaj9 spans more than an octave, so moving the bottom note up an octave lands it inside the chord rather than on top. The rearrangements pianists actually use are rootless voicings, a jazz topic of its own. This page teaches the chord itself.

Do I have to play all five notes?

No. Leave out the E, the fifth, and the chord loses nothing it needs. A common voicing is A in the left hand with C sharp, G sharp and B in the right.

Where is Amaj9 used?

As the I chord of A major in jazz, soul and ballads, and anywhere Amaj7 is written and a softer, wider sound is wanted.