E Major Ninth Ukulele Arpeggio
Ukulele arpeggio — fretboard diagram
E Major Ninth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: E, G#, B, D#, F#
Intervals: 1P, 3M, 5P, 7M, 9M
Formula: 2W-WH-2W-WH
Number of notes: 5
Also known as: maj9, Δ9, ^9
The E Major Ninth arpeggio contains 5 notes (E, G#, B, D#, F#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Ukulele with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the E Major Ninth Arpeggio
Play the E Major Ninth arpeggio whenever a E Major Ninth chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The E Major Ninth arpeggio uses 5 notes (E, G#, B, D#, F#) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play E Major Ninth Arpeggio on Ukulele
On ukulele, find E around fret 4 and play through the arpeggio tones (E, G#, B, D#, F#). You may need to move beyond a single chord shape to reach all 5 notes. Practice connecting the arpeggio tones smoothly across adjacent fret positions.
The E Major Ninth arpeggio outlines a E major chord and works perfectly over E, Emaj7, E6 harmonies. It is a foundational arpeggio for soloing over major-key progressions and emphasizes the bright, resolved character of the major triad.
Practice Routine
Start by playing the E Major Ninth arpeggio ascending and descending at 60 BPM, one note per beat, using a metronome. Once even and confident, play it in eighth notes, then triplets, keeping each note articulate. Spend at least 5 minutes daily on this before moving to musical application.
Ukulele Tips
The ukulele's re-entrant tuning creates natural voice leading within the E Major Ninth arpeggio. Experiment with picking patterns that take advantage of the high G string to create unexpected interval leaps within the arpeggio shape.