C seventh sharp nine chord (C7(#9)) on piano
The C seventh sharp nine chord (C7(#9)) on piano has 5 notes: C, E, G, B flat, and D sharp (C, E, G, B♭, D♯). On the keyboard below, the root (C) has the strongest color; each key shows the note name and the degree.
- Notes
- CEGB♭D♯
- Formula
- 135♭7♯9
How to play C7(#9) on piano
Root position · From low to high: C E G B♭ D♯
The small dot marks middle C (C4). Tap a key to hear the note.
C7(#9) chord inversions
Inverting a chord means putting another of its notes in the bass (the lowest key) without changing the notes. Inversions shorten the way your hand travels from one chord to the next and slightly change the color of the sound.
-
1st inversion (C7(#9)/E)
C7(#9)/E: E (3) in the bass
From low to high: E G B♭ C D♯
-
2nd inversion (C7(#9)/G)
C7(#9)/G: G (5) in the bass
From low to high: G B♭ C D♯ E
-
3rd inversion (C7(#9)/Bb)
C7(#9)/Bb: B flat (♭7) in the bass
From low to high: B♭ C D♯ E G
Notes and intervals of C7(#9)
C7(#9) (C seventh sharp nine) is built from 5 notes. Each one fills a degree of the chord:
- C · 1 · root
- E · 3 · major third
- G · 5 · perfect fifth
- B♭ · ♭7 · minor seventh
- D♯ · ♯9 · sharp ninth
About the seventh sharp nine chord
A dominant chord with a sharp ninth: the ♯9 sounds like a minor third above the major third, so the chord is major and minor at once. It is a blues sound; in jazz it appears as the dominant of a minor ii–V–i, and in 1970s funk it even served as the main chord. Rock and pop guitarists call it the "Hendrix chord".
Other C chords
- C
- Cm
- C7
- C7M
- Cm7
- Cm7(b5)
- C°
- C°7
- C+
- Csus2
- Csus4
- C7sus4
- C5
- Cadd9
- C6
- Cm6
- C9
- Cm(add9)
- Cm9
- C7M(9)
- Cm(7M)
- C7M(#5)
- C7(b9)
- C6(9)
- Cm6(9)
- C11
- Cm11
- C13
- Cm13
- C7(#9)
- C7(#11)
- C7(b13)
- C7(#5)
- C7M(#11)
- C9sus4
Seventh sharp nine: other roots
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the C7(#9) chord on piano?
C7(#9) (C seventh sharp nine) has the notes C, E, G, B♭, D♯. The formula is 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · ♯9: root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, sharp ninth.
How do you play C7(#9) on piano?
Find the C key and add the other notes above it: C, E, G, B♭, D♯. Play them all together.
What are the inversions of C7(#9)?
1st inversion (C7(#9)/E): E G B♭ C D♯; 2nd inversion (C7(#9)/G): G B♭ C D♯ E; 3rd inversion (C7(#9)/Bb): B♭ C D♯ E G.
What does C7(#9) mean?
C7(#9) is the chord symbol for C seventh sharp nine. A dominant chord with a sharp ninth: the ♯9 sounds like a minor third above the major third, so the chord is major and minor at once. It is a blues sound; in jazz it appears as the dominant of a minor ii–V–i, and in 1970s funk it even served as the main chord. Rock and pop guitarists call it the "Hendrix chord".
Is the C7(#9) chord the same on piano and keyboard?
Yes. The notes and inversions are the same on any keyboard instrument: acoustic piano, digital piano, keyboard, organ or synthesizer.