Chords › A♭add9
A Flat Add9 Chord on Guitar
- A♭add9
- A♭ · C · E♭ · B♭
- From fret 4
- Also written G♯add9
Movable, fret 4
A♭add9 is an add9 chord: a major chord with the ninth added on top, brighter and more open than plain major. A♭add9 has no open shape, so it is usually played as a 4-string shape from the 4th fret.
How to play A♭add9, finger by finger
- Put your index finger on string 2 at the 4th fret.
- Put your middle finger on string 3 at the 5th fret.
- Put your ring finger on string 4 at the 6th fret.
- Put your pinky finger on string 1 at the 6th fret.
- Strum from string 4 down to string 1, and don't play strings 6 and 5.
More ways to play A♭add9
Notes in A♭add9
| Note | Interval | Role |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | 1 | root |
| C | 3 | major third |
| E♭ | 5 | fifth |
| B♭ | 9 | ninth |
Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 9
Questions about A♭add9
What notes are in A♭add9?
A♭, C, E♭ and B♭. Those are the 1, 3, 5, 9 of the chord, counted from A♭.
Which strings do I strum for A♭add9?
Start on string 4 and strum down to string 1.
Is A♭add9 the same as G♯add9?
Yes, on guitar they are played the same way and sound the same. A flat and G sharp are two names for one note: songs in sharp keys write G♯, songs in flat keys write A♭.
Related chords
Often played with A♭add9
Other add9 chords