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B 6th add 9 chord on guitar (B6/9)
Also called or written B6/9, B6add9, B 6th Add 9th or B 6th 9
B 6th add 9 contains B, D♯, F♯, G♯, and C♯. The 1st fret grip mutes the low E string and barres the D and G strings.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 6, 9
- Root positionB–D♯–F♯–G♯–C♯B6/9×-2-1-1-2-2
- First inversionD♯–F♯–G♯–C♯–BB6/9/D♯×-6-6-6-7-7
- Second inversionF♯–G♯–C♯–B–D♯B6/9/F♯2-2-1-1-2-×
- Third inversionG♯–C♯–B–D♯–F♯B6/9/G♯4-4-4-4-4-4
- Fourth inversionC♯–B–D♯–F♯–G♯B6/9/C♯×-4-4-4-4-4
How do you play a B 6th add 9 chord on guitar?
B 6th add 9 is played at the 1st fret as × 2 1 1 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 1, middle finger on the A string at fret 2, ring finger on the B string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 2. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (1) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (6) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (2) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 4 | F♯ (5) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the D and G strings cleanly while the middle finger reaches the A string at the 2nd fret.
6th fret
B 6th add 9 is played at the 6th fret as 7 6 6 6 7 7: barre your index finger across fret 6, middle finger on the low E string at fret 7, ring finger on the B string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 2 | B (1) |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (6) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 4 | B (1) |
13th fret
B 6th add 9 is played at the 13th fret as × 14 13 13 14 14: barre your index finger across fret 13, middle finger on the A string at fret 14, ring finger on the B string at fret 14 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 14. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 14 | 2 | B (1) |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (6) |
| 2 (B) | 14 | 3 | C♯ (2) |
| 1 (e) | 14 | 4 | F♯ (5) |
B6add9/D♯ inversion · fret 6
B 6th add 9 is played at the 6th fret as × 6 6 6 7 7: barre your index finger across fret 6, ring finger on the B string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 7. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (6) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 4 | B (1) |
B6add9/D♯ inversion · fret 9
B 6th add 9 is played at the 9th fret as 11 9 9 11 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the low E string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 3 | D♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (6) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (2) |
Why it sounds like that
B 6th add 9 is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 6, 9. The major 6th and major 2nd add color to the major triad. Compare it to B 6th, which omits the 9th.
What goes wrong with B 6th add 9?
- Let the low E string sound by not muting it properly.
- Allow the index barre to lift off the G string, causing a dead note.
When to use it
Use B 6th add 9 as the tonic in B major progressions like B–E–F♯–B (I–IV–V–I). It works well in rock and pop ballads.
Changing to and from B 6th add 9
- Slide the shape up one fret to the 2nd fret to play C 6th add 9.
- Slide the shape up two frets to the 3rd fret to play C♯ 6th add 9.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret position keeps B in the bass. The B6add9/D♯ inversions put D♯ in the bass, creating a first-inversion sound.
Other B chords
Common questions
Why is the low E string muted in B 6th add 9?
The open E string is not a chord tone, so it is muted to avoid an outside note.
How does B 6th add 9 differ from B 6th?
B 6th add 9 adds the 9th, C♯, to the B 6th chord. The 9th creates a more colorful, extended sound.
What are the alternate symbols for B 6th add 9?
B 6th add 9 is written B6/9 or B6add9.