Badd9 chord on guitar
The Badd9 chord, or B add 9, stacks 4 notes on B: B, D♯, F♯ and C♯. Musicians write its formula 1 3 5 9.
Notes and intervals of Badd9
Each note of Badd9 has a job. Counted from the root, you get root (B), major 3rd (D♯), perfect 5th (F♯) and major 9th (C♯). Change one of these intervals and you get a different chord, which is why the formula 1 3 5 9 is worth memorising rather than the shape alone.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | B |
| 3 | major 3rd | D♯ |
| 5 | perfect 5th | F♯ |
| 9 | major 9th | C♯ |
How to play Badd9 on guitar
Start with the first diagram: x 2 1 x 2 2, read from the 6th string (low E) to the 1st string (high E). Your lowest note is B. The next positions give the same notes in a different order, which is useful when you want Badd9 to sit closer to the surrounding chords.
This is a barre or movable shape: keep your index finger straight and close to the fret, and press with the side of the finger rather than the flat pad.
Which keys use Badd9?
Badd9 is not built from the notes of a single major key, so it usually appears as a colour chord: a borrowed chord, a passing chord or a suspension that resolves to the next chord.
Scales to play over Badd9
These scales share every note of Badd9: B major scale, B major pentatonic scale, B Lydian mode and B Mixolydian mode. B major scale is the safest choice; the others add more colour.
About add9 chords
A major triad with the 9th added: 1 3 5 9. Unlike a 9 chord there is no seventh, so the add9 chord stays bright and simple, with a sparkle on top. The 9 (the second, an octave higher) rubs gently against the third and the root, which gives that shimmering acoustic pop sound. For example Cadd9: C E G D.
Use it anywhere a major chord fits, mostly on I and IV, to enrich a plain progression without changing its function (for example Cadd9 G D Em in G major). Acoustic pop, worship, country and indie use it constantly, often keeping one note ringing on the top strings through a whole progression as a drone.
The famous open Cadd9 (x32033) keeps the 3rd and 4th fingers on the top strings, so it switches easily with G (320033) and Em7 (022033). The movable version is a stretch with the root on the 5th string and the 9 on the 3rd string, four frets above the root (for example Cadd9 x3575x). Let the open strings ring when you can.
add9 versus 9: a 9 chord also contains the ♭7 and has a dominant sound, add9 does not. add9 versus sus2: sus2 drops the third, add9 keeps it. And add9 versus add2: same note names, but add2 implies the second sits close to the root, add9 an octave higher. Many charts use them loosely, so trust your ears.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the Badd9 chord?
Badd9 (B add 9) contains B, D♯, F♯ and C♯. In intervals: root (B), major 3rd (D♯), perfect 5th (F♯) and major 9th (C♯).
How do you play Badd9 on guitar?
The easiest shape is x 2 1 x 2 2, from the low E string to the high E string. This page shows 3 positions with finger numbers.
What scale goes with Badd9?
B major scale fits Badd9 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: B major pentatonic scale, B Lydian mode and B Mixolydian mode.
What key is Badd9 in?
Badd9 does not belong to a single major key. It is used as a colour chord that borrows notes from outside the key.
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