1,008 guitar chords with several shapes each, finger numbers, difficulty and real sound, in any tuning.
Aadd9 is a added ninth chord made of 4 notes: A, C♯, E, B. It sounds shimmering: a major chord with an extra note on top, and you hear it in acoustic pop and rock, and pretty versions of plain major chords. It is the I chord of A major and turns up in 5 other keys.
The library above opens on Aadd9 with 14 shapes up and down the neck, starting with hand-checked ones. Tap a shape to hear it, or play it one string at a time.
| Note | Degree | Interval from A | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | root | 0 |
| C♯ | 3 | major third | 4 |
| E | 5 | perfect fifth | 7 |
| B | 9 | major ninth | 14 |
Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 9. On guitar the 5th is often left out of the bigger shapes without changing the chord.
x02420xx7657507600x07909x09909522225The open position shape is the one to learn first. Once it is easy, try the shape at the 5th fret (xx7657): the same chord, higher and brighter, handy when the chords before and after it sit up the neck.
Aadd9 belongs to 6 keys: V in D major, IV in E major, I in A major, VI in C♯ minor, III in F♯ minor, VII in B minor. In A major, try I–V–vi–IV: Aadd9 – E – F♯m – D.
A, C♯, E, B: the root, major third, fifth, ninth.
Open position: x02420 (low string first), rated Beginner.
Aadd9 has the same notes where A9 has G. Aadd9 sounds shimmering: a major chord with an extra note on top; A9 sounds funky and full, a seventh chord with more colour.
No. The easiest shape is rated Beginner and needs 3 fingers.