Piano chords · Add9 chord
Cadd9 piano chord (C added ninth)
Cadd9 is a added ninth chord with 4 notes. It sounds bright and shimmering. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.
C – E – G – D · tap any key to hear it
The notes of Cadd9
Cadd9 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – 9):
- C, the root
- E, the major third
- G, the fifth
- D, the ninth
Every note is a white key, which makes Cadd9 an easy chord to find and play.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on C, 2 on E, 3 on G, 5 on D (the D is a stretch: it sits a ninth above C; if it's too wide, play the C with your left hand).
- Left hand: 5 on C, 3 on E, 2 on G, 1 on D.
Press every key at exactly the same moment, with the same weight. If one note sounds louder or a fraction late, the chord sounds uneven: play it slowly and listen for one sound.
Where Cadd9 belongs
Like C, Cadd9 is the I chord in C major, the IV chord in G major and the V chord in F major.
Cadd9 is C with the ninth, D, added on top: the second note of the scale, an octave up. It keeps the major chord's brightness and adds a shimmer.
Hear it in a progression
Cadd9 – G – Am – F: Iadd9 – V – vi – IV, the pop progression with a lift.
Playing it, but it doesn't sound right? Ivory listens to you play and tells you what's off: a note that's missing, a hand that lands late, a chord that's uneven. Then it shows you how it should go.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the Cadd9 chord?
Cadd9 (C added ninth) is made of C, E, G and D: the root, major third, fifth and ninth.
How do you play Cadd9 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on C, 2 on E, 3 on G, 5 on D (the D is a stretch: it sits a ninth above C; if it's too wide, play the C with your left hand), and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on C, 3 on E, 2 on G, 1 on D.
How is Cadd9 different from the plain chord?
Cadd9 is C with the ninth, D, added on top: the second note of the scale, an octave up. It keeps the major chord's brightness and adds a shimmer.