Compound · 14 semitones
Major 9th
Fourteen semitones — a major 2nd extended an octave. Open and expansive. The defining interval of add9 and major 9th chords.
How to Hear It
How to Identify It
Like a major 2nd but wider and more spacious — bright and open. Commonly heard in jazz and pop chord extensions (add9, maj9).
Famous Examples
- Major 9th and add9 chords — top note creates this interval with root
- Lush jazz voicings
Often Confused With
All Intervals
About the Major 9th
The Major 9th (M9) is a compound interval spanning 14 semitones. Fourteen semitones — a major 2nd extended an octave. Open and expansive. The defining interval of add9 and major 9th chords.
To train your ear to identify the major 9th reliably, practice hearing it in all three modes — ascending, descending, and harmonic. The ascending version is most commonly tested, but recognising it in all contexts is the mark of a trained ear. Use the trainer above to test yourself in a mixed set of all intervals.