Tools / Chords / E♭ add 9

E♭ add 9 chord on guitar (E♭add9)

Also written E♭add9, E♭ or E♭ Add 9th

E♭ add 9 is built from E♭, G, B♭ and F. The default grip at the 11th fret is an advanced stretch with the 9th on the high E string.

11th fret×-×-13-12-11-13

Positions on the neck1 of 5

How it’s built

E♭1Root

G3Major 3rd

B♭5Perfect 5th

F99th

Formula 1, 3, 5, 9

Positions on the neck1 of 5

Inversions

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

Root positionE♭–G–B♭–FE♭add9Bass E♭

First inversionG–B♭–F–E♭E♭add9/GBass G

Second inversionB♭–F–E♭–GE♭add9/B♭Bass B♭

Third inversionF–E♭–G–B♭E♭add9/FBass F

Why it sounds like that

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

What goes wrong with E♭ 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

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

Changing to and from E♭ add 9

Move to E♭ major by lifting the pinky and keeping the other three fingers in place.
Slide the shape down two frets to the 9th fret to play C♯ add 9.

Which voicing to use

The 11th fret position keeps E♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. The E♭add9/G inversion at the 3rd fret puts the major 3rd in the bass, giving a darker, more compact voicing. The E♭add9/G inversion at the 10th fret is higher and brighter.

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

11th fret

Intermediate● On the diagram

E♭ add 9 is played at the 11th fret as × × 13 12 11 13: ring finger on the D string at fret 13, middle finger on the G string at fret 12, index finger on the B string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 13. The low E and A strings stay muted.

Tip — The pinky must stretch to the 13th fret on the high E while the index holds the 11th 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)	13	3	E♭ (1)
3 (G)	12	2	G (3)
2 (B)	11	1	B♭ (5)
1 (e)	13	4	F (9)

E♭add9/G inversion · 3-1-1-0-×-1

Beginner

E♭ add 9 is played in open position as 3 1 1 0 × 1: pinky finger on the low E string at fret 3, index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 1 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 1. The G string rings open. The B string stays muted.

String-by-string breakdown

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

E♭add9/G inversion · 3-1-1-3-×-1

Barre

E♭ add 9 is played at the 1st fret as 3 1 1 3 × 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, ring finger on the low E string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 3. The B string stays muted.

String-by-string breakdown

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

E♭add9/G inversion · 3-×-3-3-4-3

Barre

E♭ add 9 is played at the 3rd fret as 3 × 3 3 4 3: barre your index finger across fret 3 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 4. The A string stays muted.

String-by-string breakdown

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

E♭add9/G inversion · ×-10-×-10-11-11

Intermediate

E♭ add 9 is played at the 10th fret as × 10 × 10 11 11: index finger on the A string at fret 10, middle finger on the G string at fret 10, ring finger on the B string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 11. The low E and D strings stay muted.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
6 (E)	muted	—	—
5 (A)	10	1	G (3)
4 (D)	muted	—	—
3 (G)	10	2	F (9)
2 (B)	11	3	B♭ (5)
1 (e)	11	4	E♭ (1)

Common questions

How is E♭ add 9 written?

E♭ add 9 is written as E♭add9 or E♭. On a keyboard, use Ebadd9 or Eb. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

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

E♭ add 9 contains the 9th (F) but no 7th, while E♭ major 7th contains the major 7th (D) but no 9th. E♭ add 9 has a more open, suspended quality.

Can I play E♭ add 9 with a barre?

The default 11th fret shape uses no barre, but the E♭add9/G inversion at the 3rd fret uses a barre at the 3rd fret. That voicing is lower and warmer.

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

muted

—

5 (A)

muted

—

4 (D)

E♭ (1)

3 (G)

G (3)

2 (B)

B♭ (5)

1 (e)

F (9)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

G (3)

5 (A)

B♭ (5)

4 (D)

E♭ (1)

3 (G)

open

—

G (3)

2 (B)

muted

—

1 (e)

F (9)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

G (3)

5 (A)

1 (barre)

B♭ (5)

4 (D)

1 (barre)

E♭ (1)

3 (G)

B♭ (5)

2 (B)

muted

—

1 (e)

1 (barre)

F (9)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

1 (barre)

G (3)

5 (A)

muted

—

4 (D)

1 (barre)

F (9)

3 (G)

1 (barre)

B♭ (5)

2 (B)

E♭ (1)

1 (e)

1 (barre)

G (3)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

muted

—

5 (A)

G (3)

4 (D)

muted

—

3 (G)

F (9)

2 (B)

B♭ (5)

1 (e)

E♭ (1)