Chord · Cadd9
Cadd9 Chord
Cadd9 is C, E, G and D — major triad with an added 9th; pop and folk staple.
Cadd9 on every instrument
The same 4 notes, 4 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What Cadd9 is made of
Cadd9 (C add9) is built from the notes C, E, G, D, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, 9.
Stack 1, 3, 5 and 9 on a root of C and you get C, E, G and D. That interval recipe is what makes the chord an add9 chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why F♯add9 sounds like a transposed Cadd9.
Add 9: Major triad with an added 9th; pop and folk staple.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. Every tone here lands on its own letter — no accidentals needed.
Keys that contain Cadd9
All 4 notes sit inside the scale of 6 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on C
Same root, different colour.
The same add9 shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about Cadd9
- What notes are in the Cadd9 chord?
- Cadd9 is made of C, E, G and D — the 1, 3, 5 and 9 degrees of an add9 chord built on C.
- What keys use the Cadd9 chord?
- Every note of Cadd9 belongs to 6 keys: C Major (I), F Major (V), G Major (IV), A Minor (III), D Minor (VII), E Minor (VI). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play Cadd9 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows Cadd9 on guitar, piano, ukulele and mandolin — 13 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
- Is Cadd9 the same as Cadd9?
- Yes. Cadd9 and Cadd9 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Cadd9 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.
Learn the theory behind it
Why Cadd9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.