Tools / Chords / A♭ add 9

A♭ add 9 chord on guitar (A♭add9)

Also written A♭add9, A♭ or A♭ Add 9th

A♭ add 9 is built from A♭, C, E♭ and B♭. The default grip at the 4th fret is an advanced stretch with the 9th on the high E string.

4th fret×-×-6-5-4-6

Positions on the neck1 of 5

How it’s built

A♭1Root

C3Major 3rd

E♭5Perfect 5th

B♭99th

Formula 1, 3, 5, 9

Positions on the neck1 of 5

Inversions

The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.

Root positionA♭–C–E♭–B♭A♭add9Bass A♭

First inversionC–E♭–B♭–A♭A♭add9/CBass C

Second inversionE♭–B♭–A♭–CA♭add9/E♭Bass E♭

Third inversionB♭–A♭–C–E♭A♭add9/B♭Bass B♭

Why it sounds like that

A♭ add 9 adds a major 2nd (B♭) to an A♭ major triad. The B♭ gives the chord a warm, open character. Compare it to A♭ major, which has only three notes.

What goes wrong with A♭ add 9?

Letting the low E or A string ring out, adding notes outside the chord.
Buzzing the D string because the ring finger is too far from the fret.
Flattening the pinky so it mutes the high E string.

When to use it

A♭ add 9 is the tonic in A♭ major, fitting progressions like A♭–D♭–E♭–A♭ (I–IV–V–I). It suits jazz and neo-soul. Use it to replace A♭ major for a more colorful tonic.

Changing to and from A♭ add 9

Move to A♭ major by lifting the pinky and keeping the other three fingers in place.
Slide the shape down two frets to the 2nd fret to play F♯ add 9.

Which voicing to use

The 4th fret position keeps A♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. The A♭add9/C inversion at the 3rd fret puts the major 3rd in the bass, giving a darker, more compact voicing. The A♭add9/E♭ inversion at the 6th fret has the 5th in the bass and works well for descending bass lines.

How do you play an A♭ add 9 chord on guitar?

4th fret

Intermediate● On the diagram

A♭ add 9 is played at the 4th fret as × × 6 5 4 6: ring finger on the D string at fret 6, middle finger on the G string at fret 5, index finger on the B string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 6. The low E and A strings stay muted.

Tip — The pinky must stretch to the 6th fret on the high E while the index holds the 4th fret on the B string, a two-fret span.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	muted	—	—
5 (A)	muted	—	—
4 (D)	6	3	A♭ (1)
3 (G)	5	2	C (3)
2 (B)	4	1	E♭ (5)
1 (e)	6	4	B♭ (9)

A♭add9/C inversion · fret 3

Intermediate

A♭ add 9 is played at the 3rd fret as × 3 × 3 4 4: index finger on the A string at fret 3, middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the B string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 4. The low E and D strings stay muted.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	muted	—	—
5 (A)	3	1	C (3)
4 (D)	muted	—	—
3 (G)	3	2	B♭ (9)
2 (B)	4	3	E♭ (5)
1 (e)	4	4	A♭ (1)

A♭add9/C inversion · fret 6

Barre

A♭ add 9 is played at the 6th fret as 8 6 6 8 × 6: barre your index finger across fret 6, ring finger on the low E string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 8. The B string stays muted.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	8	3	C (3)
5 (A)	6	1 (barre)	E♭ (5)
4 (D)	6	1 (barre)	A♭ (1)
3 (G)	8	4	E♭ (5)
2 (B)	muted	—	—
1 (e)	6	1 (barre)	B♭ (9)

A♭add9/C inversion · fret 8

Barre

A♭ add 9 is played at the 8th fret as 8 × 8 8 9 8: barre your index finger across fret 8 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 9. The A string stays muted.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	8	1 (barre)	C (3)
5 (A)	muted	—	—
4 (D)	8	1 (barre)	B♭ (9)
3 (G)	8	1 (barre)	E♭ (5)
2 (B)	9	4	A♭ (1)
1 (e)	8	1 (barre)	C (3)

A♭add9/E♭ inversion

Intermediate

A♭ add 9 is played at the 5th fret as × 6 6 5 × 6: middle finger on the A string at fret 6, ring finger on the D string at fret 6, index finger on the G string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 6. The low E and B strings stay muted.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	muted	—	—
5 (A)	6	2	E♭ (5)
4 (D)	6	3	A♭ (1)
3 (G)	5	1	C (3)
2 (B)	muted	—	—
1 (e)	6	4	B♭ (9)

Common questions

How is A♭ add 9 written?

A♭ add 9 is written as A♭add9 or A♭. On a keyboard, use Abadd9 or Ab. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

What is the difference between A♭ add 9 and A♭ major 7th?

A♭ add 9 contains the 9th (B♭) but no 7th, while A♭ major 7th contains the major 7th (G) but no 9th. A♭ add 9 has a more open, suspended quality.

Can I play A♭ add 9 with a barre?

The default 4th fret shape uses no barre, but the A♭add9/C inversion at the 8th fret uses a barre at the 8th fret. That voicing is higher and brighter.

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

muted

—

5 (A)

muted

—

4 (D)

A♭ (1)

3 (G)

C (3)

2 (B)

E♭ (5)

1 (e)

B♭ (9)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

muted

—

5 (A)

C (3)

4 (D)

muted

—

3 (G)

B♭ (9)

2 (B)

E♭ (5)

1 (e)

A♭ (1)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

C (3)

5 (A)

1 (barre)

E♭ (5)

4 (D)

1 (barre)

A♭ (1)

3 (G)

E♭ (5)

2 (B)

muted

—

1 (e)

1 (barre)

B♭ (9)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

1 (barre)

C (3)

5 (A)

muted

—

4 (D)

1 (barre)

B♭ (9)

3 (G)

1 (barre)

E♭ (5)

2 (B)

A♭ (1)

1 (e)

1 (barre)

C (3)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

muted

—

5 (A)

E♭ (5)

4 (D)

A♭ (1)

3 (G)

C (3)

2 (B)

muted

—

1 (e)

B♭ (9)