add nine chord
D♭, F, A♭ and E♭
- Root
- D♭
- Major third
- F
- Perfect fifth
- A♭
- Major ninth
- E♭
Formula
1 3 5 9 (4, 7, 14 half steps above D♭)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | D♭ | F | A♭ | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
D♭add9 inversions
D♭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.
D♭add9
Root position
| Notes | D♭ | F | A♭ | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
D♭add9/F
First inversion
| Notes | F | A♭ | D♭ | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
D♭add9/A♭
Second inversion
| Notes | A♭ | D♭ | E♭ | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
D♭add9/E♭
Third inversion
| Notes | E♭ | F | A♭ | D♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Where D♭add9 fits
All of its notes are in D♭ major, A♭ major and G♭ major, so it fits naturally in those keys.
How D♭add9 is built
D♭ is the root, F the major third, A♭ the perfect fifth and E♭ 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: D♭, F, A♭ and E♭.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of D♭add9 are D, F, A, E. That is why it is spelled D♭, F, A♭ and E♭.
Find D♭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 D♭add9, in any octave and any order.
Practice D♭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 D♭add9 chord?
D♭add9 has four notes: D♭, F, A♭ and E♭. D♭ is the root, F the major third, A♭ the perfect fifth and E♭ the major ninth.
What fingers do you use for D♭add9 on piano?
In root position, play D♭, F, A♭ and E♭ 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 D♭add9?
D♭add9 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (D♭add9/F): F, A♭, D♭ and E♭. Second inversion (D♭add9/A♭): A♭, D♭, E♭ and F. Third inversion (D♭add9/E♭): E♭, F, A♭ and D♭.
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: D♭, F, A♭ and E♭. All the notes of D♭add9 are in D♭ major, A♭ major and G♭ major.