Add9 Chords on Guitar: Cadd9, Gadd9, Aadd9, Eadd9 and Fadd9

An add9 chord is a major chord with one extra note: the 9th, which is the 2nd note of the scale played an octave up. Cadd9 is C, E and G plus D. The added note gives the chord an open, ringing, slightly wistful sound, and on guitar several add9 shapes are actually easier than the plain chords.

Below are five useful add9 shapes, how add9 differs from sus2 and 9 chords, and where to use them.

Add9 vs sus2 vs 9 vs maj9

Chord	Formula	In C	Sound
C	1 3 5	C E G	Plain major
Cadd9	1 3 5 9	C E G D	Major, open and shimmering
Csus2	1 2 5	C D G	No 3rd: neither major nor minor
C9	1 3 5 b7 9	C E G Bb D	Bluesy, funky dominant
Cmaj9	1 3 5 7 9	C E G B D	Smooth, jazzy

The key point: add9 keeps the 3rd. That is why it can replace a plain major chord without changing the song's mood. A sus2 removes the 3rd and sounds more unresolved. If the chord names are new to you, see chord names explained.

Five add9 shapes

Chord	Frets (low E to high E)	Notes	How to think of it
Cadd9	x 3 2 0 3 0	C E G D E	C chord with the B string moved to the 3rd fret
Gadd9	3 2 0 2 0 3	G B D A B G	G chord with the G string at the 2nd fret
Aadd9	x 0 2 4 2 0	A E B C# E	A stretch: little finger on the G string, 4th fret
Eadd9	0 2 4 1 0 0	E B F# G# B E	E chord with the D string moved to the 4th fret
Fadd9	x x 3 2 1 3	F A C G	Small F with the little finger on the high E, 3rd fret

Every shape was checked note by note. On our chord difficulty index, Gadd9 and Eadd9 both score 30, Fadd9 40 and Aadd9 48, mostly for its stretch. Fadd9 is one of the easiest ways to get an F sound without a barre.

The famous one: Cadd9 with G

The most-used add9 chord on guitar is Cadd9, and its secret is how it connects to G. Play G with the ring finger on the B string, 3rd fret, and little finger on the high E, 3rd fret (3 2 0 0 3 3). To change to Cadd9 (x 3 2 0 3 3), keep those two fingers where they are and move only the first two fingers over by one string. Many players play Cadd9 as x 3 2 0 3 3 for exactly that reason; the extra G on top is fine.

That anchor makes G – Cadd9 – D – Em one of the smoothest four-chord loops in acoustic music. See how to change chords faster for more tricks like this.

Progressions with add9 chords

Progression	Chords	Use
G – Cadd9 – Em – D	I – IVadd9 – vi – V	Acoustic pop, worship, singer-songwriter
Cadd9 – G – Am – F	Iadd9 – V – vi – IV	The pop progression in C, softer
Eadd9 – A – E – B	Iadd9 – IV – I – V	Bright, ringing rock ballad in E
Aadd9 – D – Aadd9 – E	Iadd9 – IV – Iadd9 – V	Folk and country in A
Fadd9 – C – G – Am	IVadd9 – I – V – vi	Pop in C without the F barre

When to use add9

• Replace a major chord when a song feels plain. Try it on the I or IV chord first.
• Fingerpicking: the 9th sounds beautiful when it rings on its own, so add9 chords suit arpeggios. See fingerpicking for beginners.
• Avoid it over a melody note that clashes with the 9th, or in a hard-driving rock riff, where a power chord is stronger.

Related shapes: sus2 and sus4 chords and seventh chords. To identify any shape you find, use the chord identifier.

Frequently asked questions