stringery

B nine Dominant family

Funky and sophisticated.

Easiest shape1 of 5

Square: the root. In colour: the 9th, which gives the chord its sound.

Change a finger and see what it becomes

Built from

  • Broot
  • D♯major 3rd
  • F♯5th
  • Aflat 7th
  • C♯9th

A dominant 7 with a 9th stacked on top: still restless, but richer.

Tension: Leaning

Hear it in a progression

Where it goes next

Thinking in E major, where it is the V7 chord.

  • Emaj7

    Imaj7. The strongest pull in music: tension resolving home.

  • C♯m7

    vi7. The fake-out: you expect home, you get the relative minor.

Sounds close

  • Cdim7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have D♯, F♯ and A.

  • Dmaj7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have F♯, A and C♯.

  • E♭m7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have D♯, F♯ and C♯.

  • F♯m7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have F♯, A and C♯.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

Keys it lives in