Those who have learned the basics of chord construction can stretch their harmonic palate by entering the lush world of 9th chords.
Much of the harmonic underpinning of soulful R&B, the spiritual lift of gospel music, the elegant sophistication of jazz, or the cinematic splendor of late Romantic classical music, depends on 9th chords. A 9th chord is created when the interval between the root of the chord and the highest note of the chord in close position (where the notes are stacked as close as possible up from the root) equals the interval of a 9th, which is a whole step plus an octave. Armed with a root, 3rd, 5th, 7th and finally a 9th note, 9th chords can come in a greater variety than either triads or 7th chords, each with their own sound and set of possibilities.
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