B7♯9
B 7th Sharp 9
1 3 5 ♭7 ♯9
Notes in B7♯9
BR
E♭3
F♯5
A♭7
D♯9
The B7♯9 chord contains 5 notes: B, E♭, F♯, A, D
Intervals
| Interval | Semitones | Note | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| R | 0 | B | Root |
| 3 | 4 | E♭ | Major 3rd |
| 5 | 7 | F♯ | Perfect 5th |
| ♭7 | 10 | A | Minor 7th |
| ♯9 | 3 | D | Augmented 9th |
About B 7th Sharp 9 Chords
The 7♯9 chord — the 'Hendrix chord' — combines a dominant 7th with a sharp 9th (enharmonically, a minor 3rd). This creates a crunchy clash between the major 3rd and minor 3rd. Jimi Hendrix's 'Purple Haze' made this voicing iconic, but it appears throughout blues, funk, and jazz.
Compatible Scales & Modes
These scales contain all the notes of B7♯9 and can be used for soloing, improvising, and writing melodies over this chord.
B Blues Scale
The 'Hendrix chord' lives in the blues. The ♯9 IS the blue note (minor 3rd over a dominant chord).
B Minor Pentatonic
Playing minor pentatonic over a dominant 7♯9 chord creates the classic Hendrix/Stevie Ray Vaughan sound.
Half-Whole Diminished Scale from B
A jazz approach — contains both the 3rd and ♯9, plus other tensions.