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A♭ minor add 9 chord on ukulele (A♭madd9)
Also called or written A♭madd9, A♭m add9, A♭ or A♭ minor Add 9th
A♭ minor add 9 contains A♭, C♭, E♭, and B♭. The A♭m add9/A♯ inversion places the 9th in the bass, creating a unique voicing.
A♭m add9/E♭ inversionfrom fret 2
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 9
- Root positionA♭–C♭–E♭–B♭A♭madd9no shape on this instrument
- First inversionC♭–E♭–B♭–A♭A♭madd9/C♭no shape on this instrument
- Second inversionE♭–B♭–A♭–C♭A♭madd9/E♭3-3-4-2
- Third inversionB♭–A♭–C♭–E♭A♭madd9/B♭3-3-4-2
How do you play an A♭ minor add 9 chord on ukulele?
A♭ minor add 9 is played at the 2nd fret as 3 3 4 2: middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the C string at fret 3, pinky finger on the E string at fret 4 and index finger on the A string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (2) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 3 | E♭ (5) |
| 2 (E) | 4 | 4 | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 2 | 1 | C♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe A♭m add9/A♯ inversion requires the index finger to fret the A string at the 2nd fret while the ring finger frets the C string at the 3rd fret, creating a tight cluster.
Why it sounds like that
A♭ minor add 9 is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 9. The major 2nd interval between A♭ and B♭ is the 9th that gives the chord its suspended, airy quality. Compare it with A♭ minor, which lacks the 9th and sounds darker.
What goes wrong with A♭ minor add 9?
- Letting the index finger collapse and mute the C string, which removes the minor 3rd.
- Placing the pinky too far from the fret, causing the E string to buzz.
When to use it
Its closed voicing suits jazz and neo-soul where a clean, sustained chord is needed. Use it in place of A♭ minor for a more modern sound.
Changing to and from A♭ minor add 9
- Move to A♭ minor by lifting the pinky and ring fingers, leaving the index and middle fingers on the 2nd and 3rd frets.
- Slide the shape up one fret to the 3rd fret gives A minor add 9.
Which voicing to use
The A♭m add9/A♯ inversion places the 9th B♭ in the bass, creating a lighter, more ambiguous sound that works well when moving to a C♭ major chord. Since this is the only supplied voicing, it is the default choice for any situation.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ minor add 9 written?
A♭ minor add 9 is written as A♭m add9 or A♭ minor add 9. The ASCII root is Ab. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Can A♭ minor add 9 be used in a ballad?
Yes, A♭ minor add 9 works well in slow ballads. The added 9th creates a sense of longing that resolves when moving to the iv or v chord.
Why does the A♭m add9/A♯ inversion sound out of tune on some ukuleles?
The close voicing of the upper notes can cause the 9th to clash with the minor 3rd if the intonation is off. Check that the C string is fretted cleanly at the 3rd fret.