add nine chord
A♭, C, E♭ and B♭
- Root
- A♭
- Major third
- C
- Perfect fifth
- E♭
- Major ninth
- B♭
Formula
1 3 5 9 (4, 7, 14 half steps above A♭)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | A♭ | C | E♭ | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
A♭add9 inversions
A♭add9 has 3 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
A♭add9
Root position
| Notes | A♭ | C | E♭ | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
A♭add9/C
First inversion
| Notes | C | E♭ | A♭ | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
A♭add9/E♭
Second inversion
| Notes | E♭ | A♭ | B♭ | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
A♭add9/B♭
Third inversion
| Notes | B♭ | C | E♭ | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Where A♭add9 fits
All of its notes are in A♭ major, E♭ major and D♭ major, so it fits naturally in those keys.
How A♭add9 is built
A♭ is the root, C the major third, E♭ the perfect fifth and B♭ the major ninth.
An add9 chord is a major chord plus the ninth, the second note of the scale an octave higher, with no seventh. It is usually played with the ninth on top: A♭, C, E♭ and B♭.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of A♭add9 are A, C, E, B. That is why it is spelled A♭, C, E♭ and B♭.
Find A♭add9 yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 4
Tap the notes of A♭add9, in any octave and any order.
Practice A♭add9 in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the A♭add9 chord?
A♭add9 has four notes: A♭, C, E♭ and B♭. A♭ is the root, C the major third, E♭ the perfect fifth and B♭ the major ninth.
What fingers do you use for A♭add9 on piano?
In root position, play A♭, C, E♭ and B♭ with right hand fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 (thumb, index finger, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3, 2 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of A♭add9?
A♭add9 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (A♭add9/C): C, E♭, A♭ and B♭. Second inversion (A♭add9/E♭): E♭, A♭, B♭ and C. Third inversion (A♭add9/B♭): B♭, C, E♭ and A♭.
What is an add nine chord?
An add9 chord is a major chord plus the ninth, the second note of the scale an octave higher, with no seventh. It is usually played with the ninth on top: A♭, C, E♭ and B♭. All the notes of A♭add9 are in A♭ major, E♭ major and D♭ major.