Piano chords · Add9 chord
Dadd9 piano chord (D added ninth)
Dadd9 is a added ninth chord with 4 notes. It sounds bright and shimmering. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.
D – F♯ – A – E · tap any key to hear it
The notes of Dadd9
Dadd9 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – 9):
- D, the root
- F♯, the major third
- A, the fifth
- E, the ninth
F♯ is a black key, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach it without stretching.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on D, 2 on F♯, 3 on A, 5 on E (the E is a stretch: it sits a ninth above D; if it's too wide, play the D with your left hand).
- Left hand: 5 on D, 3 on F♯, 2 on A, 1 on E.
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 Dadd9 belongs
Like D, Dadd9 is the I chord in D major, the IV chord in A major and the V chord in G major.
Dadd9 is D with the ninth, E, 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
Dadd9 – A – Bm – G: 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 Dadd9 chord?
Dadd9 (D added ninth) is made of D, F♯, A and E: the root, major third, fifth and ninth.
How do you play Dadd9 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on D, 2 on F♯, 3 on A, 5 on E (the E is a stretch: it sits a ninth above D; if it's too wide, play the D with your left hand), and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on D, 3 on F♯, 2 on A, 1 on E.
How is Dadd9 different from the plain chord?
Dadd9 is D with the ninth, E, added on top: the second note of the scale, an octave up. It keeps the major chord's brightness and adds a shimmer.