Abadd9

Abadd9 is Ab, C, Eb and Bb, a add nine. The shape this page opens on is written 43x344, lowest string first.

Note by note. Ab is the root, C is the major third, Eb is the fifth and Bb is the ninth.

Also written Ab(add9), Abadd2 or Ab add nine. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 4 common shapes for Abadd9 on the guitar, and 21 derived voicings in 2 families.

One note away. Change a single note of Abadd9 and you have Ab (with one note taken away), Absus2 (with one note taken away), Abmaj7 (with one note moved), Abmaj9 (with one note added), Abmadd9 (with one note moved) or Ab6 (with one note moved).

In which keys. Every note of Abadd9 belongs to C minor (the ♭VI), C# major (the V), Eb major (the IV), F minor (the ♭III), Ab major (the I) and Bb minor (the ♭VII).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 43x344, xx65x6, x-11-10-8-11-8, x-11-10-x-11-11.

Under the hand. None of the shapes for Abadd9 uses an open string, so every one of them is movable; the lowest sits at the 3rd fret. 2 of the 4 need a barre. Together they cover the neck from the 3rd fret to the 11th.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Abadd9 has x1111x, xx6546, 6665xx, xx8898, x-13-13-13-13-x, 4313xx, xx1314, x3634x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Abadd9 has 4x131x, x3x344, 6x654x, x6x596, x-11-x-8-11-8, 8x889x, 11-x-10-13-11-x, x-13-x-13-13-11.

What kind of chord this is. Abadd9 is a major chord — root, major third, fifth. major chords on every root, and what they are for.

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.