E9
So far we have dealt with major chords and dominant 7th chords. Now comes probably the most popular sound in Funk, the dominant 9th chord (commonly just called the 9th chord). A ninth chord is obtained by adding the ninth (or second) degree of a major scale on top of a dominant 7th chord.
The chord will then contain the 1st, 3rd, 5th, b7th and 9th degrees of a major scale. Here is the most common voicing of the 9th chord. The third finger should clearly sound the 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings. The root note in this voicing is on the 5th string under the second finger.
Here are some examples to help you become familiar with the 9th chord and how it can be used.
Once you are comfortable with the 9th chord, try combining it with some 7th chords, as shown in the following examples.