Some chords have personality – Enter the E7#9 chord
If you perform a computer search using the keyword, “E7#9” — you will often get a response that describes this chord as the “Hendrix chord”. E7#9 is a dominant 7th chord with a sharp ninth added. It’s dissonant, soulful, and slightly aggressive, yet incredibly expressive. You can make an analogy between music and the color wheel and the E7#9 has COLOR!
The E7#9 doesn’t settle quietly into a song—it announces itself like a flash of neon graffiti on a brick wall. It’s bold, tense, and defiant. I always picture it as a fiery orange with a flash of ultraviolet—major and minor energy smashing together. It doesn’t try to ‘blend in’—it commands attention.”
Jimi Hendrix made the chord famous with songs like “Purple Haze” and “Spanish Castle Magic”
Stevie Ray Vaugh, a guitar disciple of Jimi Hendrix also used the E7#9 in songs such as “Mary Had a Little Lamb“.
The jazz standard “Blue Train” by John Coltrane incorporates an E♭7♯9 chord, which features both a major and minor third.
“A great ham-fisted jazz chord… shown to us by Jim Gretty.”
Paul McCartney (The Beatles)— Used in early Beatles jams, nicknamed “The Gretty Chord.”
How Do We Setup the E7#9 on the Fret Board?
The classic fingering for the chord is rooted at the 7th fret on the guitar (A string):
E|–x– (Don’t play the high E string)
B|–8– (4th finger on B string, 8th fret – G♯9)
G|–7– (3rd finger on G string, 7th fret – D)
D|–6– (1st finger on D string, 6th fret – G)
A|–7–(2nd finger on A string, 7th fret – E)
E|–open– (Optional to play the open low E string)
Guitar: Tokyo Stratocaster
Why Use This Chord?
The E7#9 chord adds a distinctive emotional grit to your playing, making it a favorite among blues, jazz, and funk guitarists. Functioning as a V7 chord—that is, a dominant seventh chord built on the fifth degree of a key—it naturally creates a sense of tension and release, which is essential in both blues turnarounds and modal jazz progressions. What makes the E7#9 especially compelling is its ability to blend major and minor chord voicings simultaneously. A major chord voicing includes a root, major third, and perfect fifth, while a minor chord voicing substitutes the major third with a minor third. The E7#9 combines the major third (G#) with a sharp ninth (G natural), subtly introducing both the major and minor tonal colors at once. This clash of intervals creates a complex, expressive sound that simpler chords cannot replicate
Example Chord Progressions That Include E7#9
The most common blues chord progression is the 12-bar blues which uses the I, IV, and V chords of a key. For example, in the key of E, the chords would be E7 (I), A7 (IV), and B7 (V). Adding the #9 adds a different color and feeling to the standard progression and can be added to any of the chords in the standard progression.
E7#9 – A13 – E7#9 – B7#9 -E7#9 (blues-jazz-funk)
Final Thoughts
Experiment with muting and percussive strumming when playing E7#9 and moving the root (A string) to different positions on the fret board. If you have a favorite song or chord progression that uses a standard E or E7 chord, substitute with the E7#9 and listen to the color change as you add the #9.
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