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C♯ 6th add 9 chord on guitar (C♯6/9)
Also called or written C♯6/9, C♯6add9, C♯ 6th Add 9th or C♯ 6th 9
C♯ 6th add 9 contains C♯, E♯, G♯, A♯, and D♯. The 3rd 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 positionC♯–E♯–G♯–A♯–D♯C♯6/9×-4-3-3-4-4
- First inversionE♯–G♯–A♯–D♯–C♯C♯6/9/E♯1-1-1-1-2-1
- Second inversionG♯–A♯–D♯–C♯–E♯C♯6/9/G♯4-4-3-3-4-×
- Third inversionA♯–D♯–C♯–E♯–G♯C♯6/9/A♯×-1-1-1-2-1
- Fourth inversionD♯–C♯–E♯–G♯–A♯C♯6/9/D♯×-6-6-6-6-6
How do you play a C♯ 6th add 9 chord on guitar?
C♯ 6th add 9 is played at the 3rd fret as × 4 3 3 4 4: barre your index finger across fret 3, middle finger on the A string at fret 4, ring finger on the B string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 4. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (6) |
| 2 (B) | 4 | 3 | D♯ (2) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the D and G strings cleanly while the middle finger reaches the A string at the 4th fret.
8th fret
C♯ 6th add 9 is played at the 8th fret as 9 8 8 8 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 8, middle finger on the low E string at fret 9, ring finger on the B string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (6) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
C♯6add9/E♯ inversion · fret 1
C♯ 6th add 9 is played at the 1st fret as 1 1 1 1 2 1: barre your index finger across fret 1 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (6) |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
C♯6add9/E♯ inversion · fret 8
C♯ 6th add 9 is played at the 8th fret as × 8 8 8 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 8, ring finger on the B string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 9. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (6) |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
C♯6add9/E♯ inversion · fret 11
C♯ 6th add 9 is played at the 11th fret as 13 11 11 13 11 11: barre your index finger across fret 11, ring finger on the low E string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 3 | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (6) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ 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 C♯ 6th, which omits the 9th.
What goes wrong with C♯ 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 C♯ 6th add 9 as the tonic in C♯ major progressions like C♯–F♯–G♯–C♯ (I–IV–V–I). It suits jazz and fusion contexts.
Changing to and from C♯ 6th add 9
- Slide the shape down two frets to the 1st fret to play B 6th add 9.
- Slide the shape down one fret to the 2nd fret to play C 6th add 9.
Which voicing to use
The 3rd fret position keeps C♯ in the bass. The C♯6add9/F inversions put E♯ in the bass, creating a first-inversion sound.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ 6th add 9 written?
C♯ 6th add 9 is written C♯6/9 or C♯6add9. The ASCII root spelling is C#. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Why is the low E string muted in C♯ 6th add 9?
The open E string is not a chord tone, so it is muted to avoid an outside note.
How does C♯ 6th add 9 differ from C♯ 6th?
C♯ 6th add 9 adds the 9th, D♯, to the C♯ 6th chord. The 9th creates a more colorful, extended sound.