Add9 Chords on Guitar: How to Play and When to Use Them
Learn how to play add9 chords on guitar, how they differ from 9th chords, and when to use them in your playing. Includes shapes, examples, and practice tips.
Popular fretboard positions with fingering suggestions
Showing 8 of 159 playable shapes
Eadd9 is the E major add 9 guitar chord. It uses the notes E, G♯, B, and F♯ and the interval formula 1-3-5-9.
The E major add 9 major add 9 chord extends the major triad with an added ninth F♯, creating a bright, expansive harmony. Unlike the major 9 chord, it lacks the major seventh, offering a fresher, more open sound often used in pop, rock, and jazz for uplifting atmospheres.
Also written as Emaj(add9) and EMadd9.
These are quick-start shapes for players who want the answer first and the deeper theory second.
022102
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Each note below shows how the chord is built from its root. This is the theory layer underneath the fretboard shapes.
The root anchors the chord and defines its tonal center.
This note defines the chord's major quality and brings brightness to the sound.
The fifth reinforces stability and gives the chord its strong harmonic frame.
The ninth opens the chord up and adds a modern, spacious color.
Eadd9 uses the notes E, G♯, B, and F♯. Its interval formula is 1-3-5-9.
Eadd9 is also written as Emaj(add9) and EMadd9.
Place the 1st finger on the 1st fret of the 3rd string. Place the 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th string. Place the 3rd finger on the 2nd fret of the 4th string. Place the 4th finger on the 2nd fret of the 1st string. Strum from the 6th string down.
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