Piano chord
Fadd9F added ninth
- F1
- A3
- C5
- G9
- Notes
- 4
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 14semitones
- Fingers
- 1-2-3-5
How to play Fadd9 on piano
- Find F: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Right hand: 1 on F, 2 on A, 3 on C, 5 on G.
- Or with the left hand: 5 on F, 4 on A, 3 on C, 1 on G.
- Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
Root position · F – A – C – G
1st inversion · A – C – G – F
2nd inversion · C – G – F – A
3rd inversion · G – F – A – C
Numbers on the keys are fingers: 1 thumb, 2 index, 3 middle, 4 ring, 5 little finger.
Fadd9 inversions
Here are all 4 positions of Fadd9. The notes stay the same, only their order changes: root position has F at the bottom, and every inversion starts on the next chord tone.
- Root positionbass: FRight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 1st inversionbass: ARight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 2nd inversionbass: CRight hand 1-2-4-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
- 3rd inversionbass: GRight hand 1-3-4-5 · Left hand 5-3-2-1
Fadd9 with two hands
A full sound: the left hand plays F an octave lower, the right hand plays F–A–C–G.
Fadd9 on other instruments
About the Fadd9 chord
The 4 notes of F added ninth are F (1), A (3), C (5), G (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.
Put your thumb on F and count up: F – A – C – G. The whole chord spans 14 semitones from bottom to top. That is wider than an octave, so most pianists split Fadd9: F in the left hand, the upper notes in the right.
The inversions of Fadd9 keep the same notes in a new order. In the 1st inversion the bass is A (A–C–G–F). In the 2nd inversion the bass is C (C–G–F–A). In the 3rd inversion the bass is G (G–F–A–C).
Add G to F and you have Fadd9.
Questions
What notes are in the Fadd9 chord?
Fadd9 (F added ninth) has 4 notes: F (1), A (3), C (5), G (9).
How many inversions does Fadd9 have?
Fadd9 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (F–A–C–G); 1st inversion (A–C–G–F); 2nd inversion (C–G–F–A); 3rd inversion (G–F–A–C).
What is the difference between Fadd9 and F?
Add G to F and you have Fadd9.
Can I play Fadd9 with one hand?
In root position Fadd9 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.