Aadd9

Aadd9 is A, C#, E and B, a add nine. The shape this page opens on is written x02420, lowest string first.

Also written A(add9), Aadd2 or A add nine. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 5 common shapes for Aadd9 on the guitar, and 25 derived voicings in 3 families.

In which keys. Every note of Aadd9 belongs to C# minor (the ♭VI), D major (the V), E major (the IV), F# minor (the ♭III), A major (the I) and B minor (the ♭VII).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x02420, 54x455, xx76x7, x-12-11-9-12-9, x-12-11-x-12-12.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Aadd9 has x2222x, xx7657, 7776xx, x-x-9-9-10-9, x-14-14-14-14-x, 5424xx, xx2425, x4745x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Aadd9 has x2x220, 5x242x, x4x455, 7x765x, x-7-x-6-10-7, x-12-x-9-12-9, 9-x-9-9-10-x, 12-x-11-14-12-x.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. Aadd9 has x07600, 00760x, 0x7600.

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.