stringery

C nine Dominant family

Funky and sophisticated.

Easiest shape1 of 3

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

Change a finger and see what it becomes

Built from

  • Croot
  • Emajor 3rd
  • G5th
  • B♭flat 7th
  • D9th

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 F major, where it is the V7 chord.

  • Fmaj7

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

  • Dm7

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

Sounds close

  • C♯dim7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have E, G and B♭.

  • E♭maj7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have G, B♭ and D.

  • Em7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have E, G and D.

  • Gm7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have G, B♭ and D.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

Keys it lives in