B9 piano chord (B dominant 9th)
B – D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯
Formula 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 – 9
B9 inversions
An inversion keeps the same notes but puts a different one at the bottom. Use them to move to the next chord with the smallest hand movement.
Root position B9
B – D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯
1st inversion B9/D♯
D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯ – B
2nd inversion B9/F♯
F♯ – A – C♯ – B – D♯
3rd inversion B9/A
A – C♯ – B – D♯ – F♯
4th inversion B9/C♯
C♯ – B – D♯ – F♯ – A
B9 chord questions
What notes are in the B dominant 9th chord?
B9 is B, D♯, F♯, A, C♯. Its formula is 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 – 9, counted from the root B.
How do you play B9 on piano?
With the right hand in root position, play B–D♯–F♯–A–C♯ using all five fingers (1–5) (thumb on B). The full five-note shape spans more than an octave, so pianists usually play the root B in the left hand and D♯–F♯–A–C♯ in the right.
What are the inversions of B9?
Root position: B–D♯–F♯–A–C♯; 1st inversion: D♯–F♯–A–C♯–B; 2nd inversion: F♯–A–C♯–B–D♯; 3rd inversion: A–C♯–B–D♯–F♯; 4th inversion: C♯–B–D♯–F♯–A.