B9 Ukulele Chord

B9 is the B dominant ninth chord. On ukulele it keeps four of its five notes: B, D sharp, A and C sharp, with the fifth left out. The standard shape is a four finger grip around the 3rd and 5th frets.

All four fingers between the 3rd and 5th frets: root on the G string, third on the C, seventh and ninth on the top two strings. Fully movable.

How to play B9 on ukulele, step by step

Index finger: 3rd fret, C string
Middle finger: 4th fret, G string
Ring finger: 4th fret, A string
Pinky finger: 5th fret, E string
Strum all four strings.

This is the same grip as A9 at the nut, moved up two frets. Learn it once and every dominant ninth is the same hand at a different fret, with the root under your index side on the G string.

More ways to play B9

There are 2 common B9 shapes: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these further up the neck. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

B9 ukulele chord diagram, barre at fret 6, played 6976 — Barre at fret 6

If the shape is not clean

Four fingers fight for room: Index on the C string first, then middle, ring and pinky around it. Stacking the fingers in that order stops the hand folding over itself.
The top note goes dead: The pinky holds the seventh at the 5th fret of the E string, the farthest reach in the shape. Without it the chord turns into a plain add9, so give that finger the extra press.
The chord buzzes when you slide it: The grip has no open strings, so it moves as one piece. Release the pressure slightly, slide, then press again; dragging at full pressure catches the fret wires.

What makes it a B9

B · D♯ · F♯ · A · C♯ 1 3 5 ♭7 9

B9 is a B7 chord with a ninth added: B, D sharp and A carry the seventh chord and the C sharp is the ninth. A ukulele has four strings for those five notes, so the fifth, F sharp, is left out, exactly as guitar players leave it out of their ninth grips.

It is the V chord of E, which makes it common in songs that sit in E or use a bluesy turnaround there. The ninth keeps B7's pull while rounding off its edges.

B9 vs B7

B9 adds a C sharp on top of B7. Both point hard at E, but B7 sounds like early rock and roll and B9 sounds like the jazz band playing the same change.

On ukulele B7 keeps a barre shape at the 2nd fret and B9 sits a little higher with no barre. Swap them inside one song for a change of shade on the same job.

B9 chord questions

Why is there no F sharp in these shapes?

A ukulele has four strings and B9 has five notes. The fifth is the note a ninth chord misses least, so it is the one left out.

Is B9 hard to play on ukulele?

It needs all four fingers, but the stretch is small and there is no barre. Most players find it easier than the four string barre of B7.

Can I move this shape?

Yes. Nothing in it is open, so the same grip two frets lower is A9 and one fret lower is Bb9. The root sits on the G string.

What is the difference between B9 and Badd9?

B9 contains A, the flat seventh, and pulls toward E. Badd9 has no seventh at all and just brightens a plain B major.

Where is B9 used?

As the V chord in E, in blues turnarounds in E, and in swing and soul tunes that pass through B on the way home.