Ukulele · add9
Aadd9 Chord on Ukulele
Aadd9 is A, C#, E, B — the 1-3-5-9 pattern of a add9 chord. Here is the shape, the audio, and what usually goes wrong.
Good news: Aadd9 has an open shape on ukulele, so you can play it without barring anything. Start there and work up the neck later.
Start here — Standard Position
Open shape — open strings ring right through it and there is nothing to barre. If you only learn one, learn this one.
What beginners get wrong
Moving in and out of it
The shape above: Standard Position — open position, so several strings ring unfretted.
Listening: each shape above has its own play button, and each one plays the notes that shape actually produces — not a generic triad.
Aadd9 on other instruments
Same notes, different hands. Every link below is a real page with diagrams and audio.
Chords next door
Same root, different colour — and all of them playable on ukulele.
Aadd9 on Ukulele — questions people ask
What is the easiest way to play Aadd9 on ukulele?
“Standard Position” — which we rate intermediate — is the easiest Aadd9 shape on ukulele. Open shape — open strings ring right through it and there is nothing to barre. If you only learn one, learn this one.
What notes are in the Aadd9 chord?
Aadd9 is A, C#, E, B — the 1-3-5-9 interval pattern of a add9 chord. Every voicing on this page uses those notes and nothing else; they just appear in a different order and octave.
What can I play instead of Aadd9?
The nearest stand-ins on ukulele that keep the same root are Asus4, Asus2, A. They keep the root and the fifth and only change what sits in the middle, so most songs still work — but check the swap against the melody, because the note you removed may be the one the tune is singing.
Can I play Aadd9 on other instruments?
Yes. Aadd9 is the same set of notes everywhere; only the fingering changes. This site has diagrams and audio for it on guitar, piano, mandolin.
Learn the theory behind Aadd9
The shape gets your fingers there. These explain why it sounds the way it does.
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