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C minor add 9 chord on guitar (Cmadd9)
Also called or written Cmadd9, Cm add9, C or C minor Add 9th
C minor add 9 is built from C, E♭, G, and D. The open position uses a muted low E string and a stretchy pinky on the high e.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 9
- Root positionC–E♭–G–DCmadd9×-3-1-0-3-3
- First inversionE♭–G–D–CCmadd9/E♭×-6-×-7-8-8
- Second inversionG–D–C–E♭Cmadd9/G3-3-1-0-3-×
- Third inversionD–C–E♭–GCmadd9/D×-5-5-5-4-×
How do you play a C minor add 9 chord on guitar?
C minor add 9 is played in open position as × 3 1 0 3 3: middle finger on the A string at fret 3, index finger on the D string at fret 1, ring finger on the B string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 3. The G string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 2 | C (1) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (5) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (2) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 4 | G (5) |
AdvancedThe pinky must fret the high e at the 3rd fret while the ring finger holds the 2nd string at the same fret, and the low E must be muted.
8th fret
C minor add 9 is played at the 8th fret as 8 10 10 8 8 10: barre your index finger across fret 8, middle finger on the A string at fret 10, ring finger on the D string at fret 10 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (1) |
| 5 (A) | 10 | 2 | G (5) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 3 | C (1) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 8 | 1 (barre) | G (5) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 4 | D (2) |
Cm add9/E♭ inversion · fret 6
C minor add 9 is played at the 6th fret as × 6 × 7 8 8: index finger on the A string at fret 6, middle finger on the G string at fret 7, ring finger on the B string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 8. The low E and D strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 6 | 1 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 2 | D (2) |
| 2 (B) | 8 | 3 | G (5) |
| 1 (e) | 8 | 4 | C (1) |
Cm add9/E♭ inversion · fret 10
C minor add 9 is played at the 10th fret as 11 10 10 12 × 10: barre your index finger across fret 10, ring finger on the low E string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 12. The B string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 3 | E♭ (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 10 | 1 (barre) | G (5) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 1 (barre) | C (1) |
| 3 (G) | 12 | 4 | G (5) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 1 (barre) | D (2) |
Cm add9/E♭ inversion · fret 11
C minor add 9 is played at the 11th fret as 11 × 12 12 13 11: barre your index finger across fret 11, middle finger on the D string at fret 12, ring finger on the G string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 13. The A string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 2 | D (2) |
| 3 (G) | 12 | 3 | G (5) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 4 | C (1) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
C minor add 9 uses the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 9. The major 2nd between C and D adds the ninth, while the minor 3rd between C and E♭ keeps the minor quality. Compare with C minor, which omits the ninth.
What goes wrong with C minor add 9?
- Letting the low E string ring out, adding an E that is not part of the chord.
- Flattening the pinky onto the 2nd string and deadening the B at the 3rd fret.
When to use it
C minor add 9 works as the vi chord in E♭ major, as in E♭–B♭–Cm–A♭, the I–V–vi–IV. It suits jazz-influenced ballads where the added ninth adds a lush, open quality.
Changing to and from C minor add 9
- From C minor, add the pinky on the high e at the 3rd fret to create C minor add 9.
- Move the shape up to the 8th fret to play C minor add 9 as a barre chord.
Which voicing to use
The open position puts C in the bass for a root-position sound. The Cm add9/E♭ inversion at the 6th fret places E♭ in the bass, giving a darker, less stable feel.
Other C chords
Common questions
What is the difference between C minor add 9 and C minor 9?
C minor add 9 contains only the root, minor third, fifth, and ninth. C minor 9 adds the minor seventh as well, creating a denser, more dissonant sound.
Why is the low E string muted in the open position?
The low E string is muted because its open note E is not a chord tone. Muting it keeps the bass note C clear.
Can I play C minor add 9 as a barre chord?
Yes, the 8th-fret barre shape is the same voicing an octave higher. It uses the same fingering as A minor add 9 but shifted up three frets.