Piano chord
C♯ add9 chord
C♯add9 is a major chord with an added ninth: the root C♯, a major 3rd up to E♯, a perfect 5th up to G♯ and a major 9th up to D♯.
- Symbol
- C♯add9
- Notes
- C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – D♯
Play it yourself
Tap C♯, E♯, G♯ and D♯ on the keys below, in any order.
- C♯
- E♯
- G♯
- D♯
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 C♯add9
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
C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – D♯
- 1st inversion · C♯add9/E♯
E♯ – G♯ – D♯ – C♯
- 2nd inversion · C♯add9/G♯
G♯ – D♯ – C♯ – E♯
- 3rd inversion · C♯add9/D♯
D♯ – C♯ – E♯ – G♯
Keys with C♯add9
C♯add9 doesn't occur naturally in a major or natural minor key. It's used as a colour chord, borrowed or altered.