Fmaj9 Ukulele Chord

Fmaj9 is the F major ninth chord. It has five notes: F, A, C, E and G, so on four strings the fifth is left out. The tuning does most of the work here: the open G, E and A strings are already the ninth, seventh and third, so the standard shape needs two fingers and there is a one finger version further down the page.

Two fingers: the root on the E string at the 1st fret and the seventh on the C string at the 4th, with the open G and A strings as the ninth and third.

How to play Fmaj9 on ukulele, step by step

Index finger: 1st fret, E string
Middle finger: 4th fret, C string
Leave the G and A strings open. Strum all four strings.

Three of the four open strings are already notes of Fmaj9, which is why this chord is so cheap on a ukulele. The one finger version further down the page takes the idea to its end.

More ways to play Fmaj9

There are 3 common Fmaj9 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.

Fmaj9 ukulele chord diagram, frets 5 to 5, played 0500 — Frets 5 to 5

Fmaj9 ukulele chord diagram, frets 7 to 10, played 10 7 0 0 — Frets 7 to 10

If it sounds unclear

The note at the 1st fret buzzes: The index holds the root on the E string right where the strings are stiffest. Press firmly, just behind the fret wire.
The stretch to the 4th fret feels far: The middle finger takes the C string at the 4th fret while the index stays at the 1st. Drop the thumb to the back of the neck and reach along the string, not across it.
The open strings swallow the root: The F on the E string is the quietest note in the shape and the one that names the chord. Strum evenly and make sure it speaks.

What makes it an Fmaj9

F · A · C · E · G 1 3 5 7 9

Fmaj9 is an Fmaj7 chord with a ninth added: F, A, C and E make the seventh chord, and the G on top makes it a ninth. On a ukulele the fifth, C, is left out of the sounding shape: four strings hold four notes, and the fifth is the note the ear misses least. Here the open G, E and A strings supply the ninth, seventh and third by themselves.

It is the I chord of F major at its softest and the IV chord of C at its dreamiest. F is one of the friendliest ukulele keys, so this is a ninth that actually earns a place in strummed songs, not just in charts.

Fmaj9 vs Fmaj7

Fmaj9 is Fmaj7 with a G added. The seventh already softens the chord; the ninth widens it and makes it sound deliberately arranged.

On the ukulele both are light work, but Fmaj9 is the rare ninth that is EASIER than its seventh: two fingers here, or one in the version below, against three for the usual Fmaj7.

Fmaj9 chord questions

Is there really a one finger Fmaj9?

Yes. Fret the C string at the 5th fret and strum: the open G, E and A strings supply the ninth, seventh and third, and that one finger adds the root.

Why is there no C in the shapes?

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 Fmaj9 and Fadd9?

Fmaj9 contains the E, the major seventh. Fadd9 has no seventh: it is plain F with a G added, brighter and plainer.

What is the difference between Fmaj9 and F9?

F9 has an E flat, the flat seventh, and pulls toward B flat. Fmaj9 has an E natural and stays put.

Where is Fmaj9 used?

As the I of F or the IV of C in jazz, bossa nova and soul, and in any strummed song where Fmaj7 wants one more voice of shimmer.