Cmaj9 Ukulele Chord

Cmaj9 is the C major ninth chord. It has five notes: C, E, G, B and D, so on four strings the fifth is left out. The standard shape stays inside the first four frets with the open E string as the third, and it is plain C with two notes added.

Plain C plus two: the A string holds the root at the 3rd fret, the index adds the ninth on the C string and the ring finger the seventh on the G string, with the open E as the third.

How to play Cmaj9 on ukulele, step by step

Index finger: 2nd fret, C string
Middle finger: 3rd fret, A string
Ring finger: 4th fret, G string
Leave the E string open. Strum all four strings.

Play plain C first, the A string at the 3rd fret, then add the other two fingers. Hearing the B and D arrive over a chord you already know is the fastest way to learn what maj9 means.

More ways to play Cmaj9

There are 3 common Cmaj9 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.

Cmaj9 ukulele chord diagram, frets 4 to 5, played 4005 — Frets 4 to 5

Cmaj9 ukulele chord diagram, frets 7 to 7, played 7077 — Frets 7 to 7

If it sounds wrong

The open E string is muffled: The middle finger on the A string is leaning into it. Arch the finger so the E rings free; it carries the third.
The reach to the 4th fret is awkward: The ring finger takes the G string at the 4th fret while the index sits at the 2nd. Turn the wrist slightly toward the nut and the diagonal becomes comfortable.
It sounds like Cmaj7: The ninth is the D on the C string at the 2nd fret. If the index presses weakly that note vanishes and the ninth goes with it.

What makes it a Cmaj9

C · E · G · B · D 1 3 5 7 9

Cmaj9 is a Cmaj7 chord with a ninth added: C, E, G and B make the seventh chord, and the D on top makes it a ninth. On a ukulele the fifth, G, is left out of the fretted shape: four strings hold four notes, and the fifth is the note the chord misses least. Root, third, seventh and ninth all sound.

It is the I chord of C major at its softest, the landing chord of a ii V I in C. Major ninths rest without sounding finished-with, which is why jazz ballads and neo soul use them where plain C would sound blunt.

Cmaj9 vs Cmaj7

Cmaj9 is Cmaj7 with a D added. Cmaj7 is already the gentle version of C; the ninth widens it and makes the chord sound deliberately arranged.

Both live in the first frets on a ukulele, one finger apart in cost. Swap between them under the same strum and the ninth is easy to hear: the D sits right next to the C and E, a soft cluster Cmaj7 does not have.

Cmaj9 chord questions

Why is there no G in this Cmaj9?

Four strings hold four of the five notes, and the fifth is the one a ninth chord can spare. The ear fills it in.

What is the difference between Cmaj9 and Cadd9?

Cmaj9 contains the B, the major seventh. Cadd9 has no seventh: it is plain C with a D added. The B is what makes Cmaj9 sound jazzy rather than bright.

What is the difference between Cmaj9 and C9?

C9 has a B flat, the flat seventh, and pulls toward F. Cmaj9 has a B natural and stays put.

Is there an easier Cmaj9?

The two finger shape further down the page keeps the C and E strings open and frets only the seventh and ninth. It sits at the 4th and 5th frets.

Where is Cmaj9 used?

As the I chord of C major in jazz, bossa nova and soul, and anywhere Cmaj7 is written and a wider sound is wanted.