Piano chord

    B add9 chord

    Badd9 is a major chord with an added ninth: the root B, a major 3rd up to D♯, a perfect 5th up to F♯ and a major 9th up to C♯.

    Symbol
    Badd9
    Notes
    B – D♯ – F♯ – C♯

    Play it yourself

    Tap B, D♯, F♯ and C♯ on the keys below, in any order.

    • B
    • D♯
    • F♯
    • C♯
    0 of 4 notes

    Add9 chords are a major triad with the ninth added and no seventh. They keep the brightness of major but sound fuller and more modern.

    Inversions of Badd9

    An inversion keeps the same notes but puts a different one at the bottom. Pianists use them to move between chords with less jumping.

    • Root position

      B – D♯ – F♯ – C♯

    • 1st inversion · Badd9/D♯

      D♯ – F♯ – C♯ – B

    • 2nd inversion · Badd9/F♯

      F♯ – C♯ – B – D♯

    • 3rd inversion · Badd9/C♯

      C♯ – B – D♯ – F♯

    Keys with Badd9

    Badd9 doesn't occur naturally in a major or natural minor key. It's used as a colour chord, borrowed or altered.

    Questions