Piano chords · Add9 chord

E♭add9 piano chord (E♭ added ninth)

E♭add9 (also written D♯add9) is a added ninth chord with 4 notes. It sounds bright and shimmering. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.

E♭GB♭F

E♭ – G – B♭ – F · tap any key to hear it

The notes of E♭add9

E♭add9 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – 9):

E♭, the root
G, the major third
B♭, the fifth
F, the ninth

E♭ and B♭ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them without stretching.

Fingering

Right hand: 1 on E♭, 2 on G, 3 on B♭, 5 on F (the F is a stretch: it sits a ninth above E♭; if it's too wide, play the E♭ with your left hand).
Left hand: 5 on E♭, 3 on G, 2 on B♭, 1 on F.

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 E♭add9 belongs

Like E♭, E♭add9 is the I chord in E♭ major, the IV chord in B♭ major and the V chord in A♭ major.

E♭add9 is E♭ with the ninth, F, 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

E♭add9 – B♭ – Cm – A♭: Iadd9 – V – vi – IV, the pop progression with a lift.

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Questions people ask

What notes are in the E♭add9 chord?

E♭add9 (E♭ added ninth) is made of E♭, G, B♭ and F: the root, major third, fifth and ninth.

How do you play E♭add9 on piano?

With your right hand, use fingers 1 on E♭, 2 on G, 3 on B♭, 5 on F (the F is a stretch: it sits a ninth above E♭; if it's too wide, play the E♭ with your left hand), and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on E♭, 3 on G, 2 on B♭, 1 on F.

How is E♭add9 different from the plain chord?