Abadd9 Guitar Chord Chart | Ab Major Ninth Added

Ab add9 guitar chord shapes

Abadd9 stands for the Ab add nine chord, built from Ab, C, Eb and Bb. It is a major triad with a ninth above it and no seventh.

For a simpler, more open sound, the Ab major pentatonic scale holds every chord tone and skips the fourth and seventh of the major scale. The ninth (Bb) is the same pitch as the second, one octave higher, and unlike a sus2 chord the add9 keeps the major third. Its extended cousins are covered in ninth chords.

In the name, the word add tells you the ninth comes without a seventh underneath it. Written with sharps, the same chord is G#add9.

Ab added 9th guitar chord is also written as Abadd9, Ab(add9), Abadd2 or Abmaj(add9).

Notes that compose the Ab add9 chord:

Ab C Eb Bb

Tones of the Major Ninth Added chord:

Formula: 1 3 5 9


Play This Chord With Other Roots

C add9 | D add9 | E add9 | F add9 | G add9 | A add9 | B add9 | C#add9 | D#add9 | F#add9 | G#add9 | A#add9 | Abadd9 | Bbadd9 | Dbadd9 | Ebadd9 | Gbadd9


FAQ

What notes make up Ab add nine?

Ab add nine contains Ab, C, Eb and Bb: root, major third, perfect fifth and ninth. Bb is a whole step up from the root, one octave higher.

Is Abadd9 the same as G#add9?

Yes. Abadd9 is spelled Ab, C, Eb, Bb, and G#add9 is spelled G#, B#, D#, A#. The sound is identical, and the flat spelling is free of sharps.

Which scale goes with Ab add nine?

The Ab major scale: Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G. It contains all four notes of the chord.

Why is Abadd9 not a seventh chord?

It has no seventh: its notes are only Ab, C, Eb and Bb. The Bb is a ninth, an octave and a whole step up from the root.