Piano chord
Dadd9D added ninth
- D1
- F♯3
- A5
- E9
- Notes
- 4
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 14semitones
- Fingers
- 1-2-3-5
How to play Dadd9 on piano
- Find D: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Right hand: 1 on D, 2 on F♯, 3 on A, 5 on E.
- Or with the left hand: 5 on D, 4 on F♯, 3 on A, 1 on E.
- Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
Root position · D – F♯ – A – E
1st inversion · F♯ – A – E – D
2nd inversion · A – E – D – F♯
3rd inversion · E – D – F♯ – A
Numbers on the keys are fingers: 1 thumb, 2 index, 3 middle, 4 ring, 5 little finger.
Dadd9 inversions
Use these 4 positions to move between chords with as little hand movement as possible. Root position starts on D; the inversions start on the other notes of the chord.
- Root positionbass: DRight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 1st inversionbass: F♯Right hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 2nd inversionbass: ARight hand 1-2-4-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
- 3rd inversionbass: ERight hand 1-3-4-5 · Left hand 5-3-2-1
Dadd9 with two hands
A full sound: the left hand plays D an octave lower, the right hand plays D–F♯–A–E.
Dadd9 on other instruments
About the Dadd9 chord
To build D added ninth, take these 4 notes from the root up: D (1), F♯ (3), A (5), E (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 D – F♯ – A – E, counted up from D; the distance from the lowest to the highest key is 14 semitones. Few hands reach that far, so share Dadd9 between both hands, with D in the left.
In the inversions of Dadd9 the root moves up and another note takes the bass. In the 1st inversion the bass is F♯ (F♯–A–E–D). In the 2nd inversion the bass is A (A–E–D–F♯). In the 3rd inversion the bass is E (E–D–F♯–A).
Compared with D, Dadd9 has one more note, E.
Questions
What notes are in the Dadd9 chord?
Dadd9 (D added ninth) has 4 notes: D (1), F♯ (3), A (5), E (9).
How many inversions does Dadd9 have?
Dadd9 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (D–F♯–A–E); 1st inversion (F♯–A–E–D); 2nd inversion (A–E–D–F♯); 3rd inversion (E–D–F♯–A).
What is the difference between Dadd9 and D?
Compared with D, Dadd9 has one more note, E.
Can I play Dadd9 with one hand?
In root position Dadd9 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.