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C♯ minor add 9 chord on guitar (C♯madd9)
Also called or written C♯madd9, C♯m add9, C♯ or C♯ minor Add 9th
C♯ minor add 9 is built from C♯, E, G♯, and D♯. The 9th-fret barre shape is identical in fingering to A minor add 9 but four frets higher.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 9
- Root positionC♯–E–G♯–D♯C♯madd99-11-11-9-9-11
- First inversionE–G♯–D♯–C♯C♯madd9/E0-×-1-1-2-0
- Second inversionG♯–D♯–C♯–EC♯madd9/G♯×-11-11-9-9-11
- Third inversionD♯–C♯–E–G♯C♯madd9/D♯×-×-1-1-2-0
How do you play a C♯ minor add 9 chord on guitar?
C♯ minor add 9 is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 11 9 9 11: barre your index finger across fret 9, middle finger on the A string at fret 11, ring finger on the D string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 2 | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 1 (barre) | E (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 4 | D♯ (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must hold the 6th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings at the 9th fret while the pinky reaches the 11th fret on the high e.
C♯m add9/E inversion · open position — the easy shape, no barre
C♯ minor add 9 is played in open position as 0 × 1 1 2 0: index finger on the D string at fret 1, middle finger on the G string at fret 1 and ring finger on the B string at fret 2. The low E and high e strings ring open. The A string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 1 | 1 | D♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 2 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (♭3) |
C♯m add9/E inversion · fret 7
C♯ minor add 9 is played at the 7th fret as × 7 × 8 9 9: index finger on the A string at fret 7, middle finger on the G string at 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 and D strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 1 | E (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (G) | 8 | 2 | D♯ (2) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
C♯m add9/E inversion · fret 11
C♯ minor add 9 is played at the 11th fret as 12 11 11 13 × 11: barre your index finger across fret 11, ring finger on the low E string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 13. The B string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 12 | 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) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | 11 | 1 (barre) | D♯ (2) |
C♯m add9/E inversion · fret 12
C♯ minor add 9 is played at the 12th fret as 12 × 13 13 14 12: barre your index finger across fret 12, middle finger on the D string at fret 13, ring finger on the G string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 14. The A string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 13 | 2 | D♯ (2) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 14 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 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 index barre lift off the high e string, causing a buzz at the 9th fret.
- Flattening the middle finger onto the 4th string and deadening the D at the 11th fret.
When to use it
C♯ minor add 9 works as the vi chord in E major, as in E–B–C♯m–A, the I–V–vi–IV. It suits bright, melodic passages where the added ninth adds a sparkling top note.
Changing to and from C♯ minor add 9
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 7th fret gives B minor add 9.
- From C♯ minor, lift the pinky and middle finger to return to the 9th-fret C♯ minor barre.
Which voicing to use
The 9th-fret voicing puts C♯ in the bass for a root-position sound. The C♯m add9/E inversion at the 7th fret places E in the bass, giving a darker, less stable feel.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ minor add 9 written?
C♯ minor add 9 is written as C♯m add9 or C♯ minor add 9. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
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.
Can I play C♯ minor add 9 without the barre?
Yes, the C♯m add9/E inversion at the 7th fret uses no barre. It omits the low E string and places E in the bass, but it is easier for beginners.