Piano chords · Add9 chord
Gadd9 piano chord (G added ninth)
Gadd9 is a added ninth chord with 4 notes. It sounds bright and shimmering. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.
G – B – D – A · tap any key to hear it
The notes of Gadd9
Gadd9 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – 9):
- G, the root
- B, the major third
- D, the fifth
- A, the ninth
Every note is a white key, which makes Gadd9 an easy chord to find and play.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on G, 2 on B, 3 on D, 5 on A (the A is a stretch: it sits a ninth above G; if it's too wide, play the G with your left hand).
- Left hand: 5 on G, 3 on B, 2 on D, 1 on A.
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 Gadd9 belongs
Like G, Gadd9 is the I chord in G major, the IV chord in D major and the V chord in C major.
Gadd9 is G with the ninth, A, 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
Gadd9 – D – Em – C: 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 Gadd9 chord?
Gadd9 (G added ninth) is made of G, B, D and A: the root, major third, fifth and ninth.
How do you play Gadd9 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on G, 2 on B, 3 on D, 5 on A (the A is a stretch: it sits a ninth above G; if it's too wide, play the G with your left hand), and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on G, 3 on B, 2 on D, 1 on A.
How is Gadd9 different from the plain chord?
Gadd9 is G with the ninth, A, added on top: the second note of the scale, an octave up. It keeps the major chord's brightness and adds a shimmer.