Chord reference
Added ninth
1 – 3 – 5 – 9 · example: Cadd9 = C – E – G – D
A major triad with the second added above, keeping the third in place — unlike sus2, which removes it.
Written as a formula it is 1 – 3 – 5 – 9: the degrees of the major scale it keeps, with any that are altered marked. On C that gives Cadd9 = C, E, G, D.
How it is built
- Dminor
- Gthird
- Emajor
- Croot
The intervals above the root
| Chord tone | Interval above the root | Semitones | Note in Cadd9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perfect unison | 0 | C |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | E |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | G |
| 9 | Major second | 2 | D |
Inversions
The same notes can be stacked in any vertical order. The chord keeps its name; what changes is which note is in the bass. See chord inversions for why that matters.
| Position | Notes | Written as |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | C – E – G – D | Cadd9 |
| First inversion | E – G – D – C | Cadd9/E |
| Second inversion | G – D – C – E | Cadd9/G |
| Third inversion | D – C – E – G | Cadd9/D |
This chord on every root
| Root | Symbol | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C | Cadd9 | C – E – G – D |
| D♭ | D♭add9 | D♭ – F – A♭ – E♭ |
| D | Dadd9 | D – F♯ – A – E |
| E♭ | E♭add9 | E♭ – G – B♭ – F |
| E | Eadd9 | E – G♯ – B – F♯ |
| F | Fadd9 | F – A – C – G |
| F♯ | F♯add9 | F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – G♯ |
| G | Gadd9 | G – B – D – A |
| A♭ | A♭add9 | A♭ – C – E♭ – B♭ |
| A | Aadd9 | A – C♯ – E – B |
| B♭ | B♭add9 | B♭ – D – F – C |
| B | Badd9 | B – D♯ – F♯ – C♯ |