Ebadd9

Ebadd9 is Eb, G, Bb and F, a add nine. The shape this page opens on is written x65363, lowest string first.

Note by note. Eb is the root, G is the major third, Bb is the fifth and F is the ninth.

Also written Eb(add9), Ebadd2 or Eb add nine. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 4 common shapes for Ebadd9 on the guitar, and 21 derived voicings in 2 families.

One note away. Change a single note of Ebadd9 and you have Eb (with one note taken away), Ebsus2 (with one note taken away), Ebsus2sus4 (with one note moved), Ebmaj7 (with one note moved), Ebmaj9 (with one note added) or Ebmadd9 (with one note moved).

In which keys. Every note of Ebadd9 belongs to C minor (the ♭III), Eb major (the I), F minor (the ♭VII), G minor (the ♭VI), Ab major (the V) and Bb major (the IV).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x65363, x65066, 11-10-x-10-11-11, x-x-13-12-x-13.

Under the hand. None of the shapes for Ebadd9 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 13th.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Ebadd9 has 1110xx, xx3343, x8888x, x-x-13-12-11-13, 13-13-13-12-x-x, x1304x, 3633xx, x6536x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Ebadd9 has x1x041, x6x363, 3x334x, 6x586x, x8x886, 11-x-8-10-8-x, x-10-x-10-11-11, 13-x-13-12-11-x.

What kind of chord this is. Ebadd9 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.