E seventh flat nine (E7(b9)) chord on ukulele
- Notes
- EG♯BDF
- Formula
- 135♭7♭9
How to play E7(b9) on ukulele
-
Shape 1 · fret 4
no 5th (B)
-
Shape 2 · 1st position
no 5th (B)
-
Shape 3 · fret 8
no 5th (B)
-
Shape 4 · fret 1
no 5th (B)
-
Shape 5 · fret 7
no 5th (B)
-
Shape 6 · fret 4
no 5th (B)
The E7(b9) has 5 notes, and on ukulele only 4 fit at a time. The shapes on this page leave out: 5th (B). That is standard practice: the 5th goes first (it barely changes the sound) and, if a string is still missing, the root, which the bass player usually covers.
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. x = do not play the string, o = open string. The coloured dot is the root (E).
E7(b9) inversions on ukulele
The same E7(b9) with another chord note in the bass (the lowest note that sounds). The notes stay the same, but the colour changes, and the bass line can move by step from one chord to the next. In a chord symbol, the bass comes after the slash.
3rd (G♯) in the bass1st inversion · E7(b9)/G#
3rd (G♯) in the bass1st inversion · E7(b9)/G#
7th (D) in the bass3rd inversion · E7(b9)/D
About the seventh flat nine chord
A dominant chord with a flat ninth: maximum tension, with a Spanish and choro flavour. It is the typical V7 that resolves to a minor chord (E7♭9 → Am) and one of the most characteristic sounds of choro, flamenco and jazz.
Notes and intervals of E7(b9)
E7(b9) (E seventh flat nine) is built from 5 notes. Each one fills a degree of the chord:
- E · 1 · root
- G♯ · 3 · major third
- B · 5 · perfect fifth
- D · ♭7 · minor seventh
- F · ♭9 · flat ninth
Other E chords
Seventh flat nine: other roots
Frequently asked questions
How do you play the E7(b9) chord on ukulele?
E7(b9) (E seventh flat nine) has 6 fingerings on this page, from easiest to hardest. Each diagram shows the fingers, the open strings (o) and the strings you do not play (x), and you can hear every shape.
What notes are in E7(b9)?
The notes of E7(b9) are E, G♯, B, D, F. The formula is 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · ♭9: root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, flat ninth.
What does E7(b9) mean?
E7(b9) is the chord symbol for E seventh flat nine. A dominant chord with a flat ninth: maximum tension, with a Spanish and choro flavour. It is the typical V7 that resolves to a minor chord (E7♭9 → Am) and one of the most characteristic sounds of choro, flamenco and jazz.
Can I play E7(b9) on other instruments?
Yes. E7(b9) also has a page on guitar, on cavaquinho, with the fingerings for each instrument.