C Added Ninth Chord (Cadd9)

1Composition: what it contains

C – E – G – D

Symbol

Cadd9

Also written

Cadd9, Cadd2, C(add9)

Formula

1 3 5 9

2Appearance: diagrams and sound

On the guitar

On the ukulele

On the piano

On the staff

On bass and as an arpeggio

3Indications: what it is used for

Very popular in pop, rock, worship, singer-songwriter and acoustic styles as a richer version of a major chord on I, IV or V. It adds colour without changing the function of the triad. Guitarists use it in open-string voicings and arpeggiated patterns; pianists use it in ballads and pads. It can replace a plain major chord almost anywhere the melody does not hold the second degree against it. In film music it creates a hopeful, open sound.

4Dosage: how to practise it

On guitar, learn the open shapes (with the ninth on an open or fretted string) and the movable shape rooted on the fifth string; play arpeggio patterns across four strings at 70–90 BPM. On piano, play root-2-3-5 in close position and spread voicings (root-5 in the left hand, 9-3 in the right). Practise progressions like I–V–vi–IV with all chords as add9. Five minutes daily. Compare each add9 with the plain triad and with the sus2 version to train your ear to the presence of the third.

5Warnings and common mistakes

Do not confuse add9 with a ninth chord (9), which includes the flat seventh, or with sus2, which omits the third. The ninth placed directly next to the third (a major second apart) can sound muddy in low registers; voice it higher. 'Add2' usually means the same notes with the second placed within the octave. Avoid doubling the ninth. In strummed guitar parts, make sure the ninth actually sounds and is not muted by a neighbouring finger.

6Interactions with chords, scales and keys

Inversions

• Inversion 1 · Cadd9/E · E – G – D – C Play
• Inversion 2 · Cadd9/G · G – D – C – E Play
• Inversion 3 · Cadd9/D · D – C – E – G Play

Scales to play over Cadd9

• C Major Scale
• C Lydian Mode
• C Mixolydian Mode
• C Major Pentatonic Scale
• C Major Blues Scale
• C Lydian Dominant Scale
• C Bebop Dominant Scale

7Other presentations available

The same chord from every note

C♯add9 Dadd9 E♭add9 Eadd9 Fadd9 F♯add9 Gadd9 A♭add9 Aadd9 B♭add9 Badd9

Other chords on C

C Cm Cdim Caug Csus2 Csus4 C5 C6 Cm6 C7 Cmaj7 Cm7 Cm7♭5 Cdim7 Cm(maj7) C7sus4 Cm(add9) C6/9 C9 Cmaj9 Cm9 C11 Cm11 C13 C7♭9 C7♯9 C7♯5 C7♭5