Amadd9

Amadd9 is A, C, E and B, a minor add nine. The shape this page opens on is written x02410, lowest string first.

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

There are 9 common shapes for Amadd9 on the guitar, and 28 derived voicings in 3 families.

In which keys. Every note of Amadd9 belongs to C major (the vi), E minor (the iv), G major (the ii) and A minor (the i).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x02410, 53x45x, 577557, xx7557, xx7908, x-x-10-9-10-7, x-12-10-9-12-x, x-12-10-x-12-12, x-15-14-14-12-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Amadd9 has x2221x, xx7557, 7775xx, x-x-9-9-10-8, x-14-14-14-13-x, xx2415, 5324xx, x3745x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Amadd9 has x2x210, 5x241x, x3x455, 7x755x, x-12-x-9-12-8, 8-x-9-9-10-x, 12-x-10-14-12-x, x-14-x-14-13-12.

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. Amadd9 has x07500, x0250x, 00750x, 0x7500, xx2500, 0x250x.

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