Piano chord
Aadd9A added ninth
- A1
- C♯3
- E5
- B9
- Notes
- 4
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 14semitones
- Fingers
- 1-2-3-5
How to play Aadd9 on piano
- Find A: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Right hand: 1 on A, 2 on C♯, 3 on E, 5 on B.
- Or with the left hand: 5 on A, 4 on C♯, 3 on E, 1 on B.
- Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
Root position · A – C♯ – E – B
1st inversion · C♯ – E – B – A
2nd inversion · E – B – A – C♯
3rd inversion · B – A – C♯ – E
Numbers on the keys are fingers: 1 thumb, 2 index, 3 middle, 4 ring, 5 little finger.
Aadd9 inversions
Use these 4 positions to move between chords with as little hand movement as possible. Root position starts on A; the inversions start on the other notes of the chord.
- Root positionbass: ARight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 1st inversionbass: C♯Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 2nd inversionbass: ERight hand 1-2-4-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
- 3rd inversionbass: BRight hand 1-3-4-5 · Left hand 5-3-2-1
Aadd9 with two hands
A full sound: the left hand plays A an octave lower, the right hand plays A–C♯–E–B.
Aadd9 on other instruments
About the Aadd9 chord
To build A added ninth, take these 4 notes from the root up: A (1), C♯ (3), E (5), B (9). An added ninth: a major triad plus the ninth, without a seventh. It adds sparkle to a plain major chord and works anywhere the triad does.
The keys are A – C♯ – E – B, counted up from A; the distance from the lowest to the highest key is 14 semitones. Few hands reach that far, so share Aadd9 between both hands, with A in the left.
In the inversions of Aadd9 the root moves up and another note takes the bass. In the 1st inversion the bass is C♯ (C♯–E–B–A). In the 2nd inversion the bass is E (E–B–A–C♯). In the 3rd inversion the bass is B (B–A–C♯–E).
Compared with A, Aadd9 has one more note, B.
Questions
What notes are in the Aadd9 chord?
Aadd9 (A added ninth) has 4 notes: A (1), C♯ (3), E (5), B (9).
How many inversions does Aadd9 have?
Aadd9 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (A–C♯–E–B); 1st inversion (C♯–E–B–A); 2nd inversion (E–B–A–C♯); 3rd inversion (B–A–C♯–E).
What is the difference between Aadd9 and A?
Compared with A, Aadd9 has one more note, B.
Can I play Aadd9 with one hand?
In root position Aadd9 spans 14 semitones, more than an octave. Play the root with the left hand and the upper notes with the right, or leave out the fifth.