Root position A♭add9
A♭ – C – E♭ – B♭
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-4-3-1
A♭add9 Chord on Piano
A♭add9 A♭ C E♭ B♭ Formula 1 3 5 9 4 notes
Also written G♯ add9: the same keys under another name.
Notes
What notes are in the A♭add9 chord?
The A♭add9 chord has 4 notes: A♭, C, E♭, B♭. The major triad plus the ninth (the second, an octave up): played close, the ninth sits right above the fifth.
| Note | Interval from the root | Half steps |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | Root | 0 |
| C | Major 3rd | 4 |
| E♭ | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| B♭ | Major 9th | 14 |
Inversions and fingering
Every way to play A♭add9
The same notes in a different order. The lowest note changes the name after the slash; the fingering below is the usual one - right hand from the lowest key up, left hand from the lowest key up too.
1st inversion A♭add9/C
C – E♭ – A♭ – B♭
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-4-3-1
2nd inversion A♭add9/E♭
E♭ – A♭ – C – B♭
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-4-3-1
Where it lives
Keys and scales with A♭add9
Every key where A♭add9 is one of the seven chords, with its Roman numeral, and the scales whose notes include all of it - the ones to improvise over it.
A♭add9 is not a diatonic chord of any major or natural minor key.
Scales that contain all its notes
Questions
Frequently asked
What notes are in the A♭add9 chord?
The A♭add9 chord (A♭add9) is made of A♭, C, E♭, B♭. Its formula is 1 3 5 9 - the root, then the intervals of a add 9 chord.
How do you play A♭add9 on the piano?
Put your right thumb on A♭ and play the other notes with fingers 1-2-3-5. With the left hand, use fingers 5-4-3-1 from the lowest key up.
What are the inversions of A♭add9?
root position A♭add9 (A♭ C E♭ B♭); 1st inversion A♭add9/C (C E♭ A♭ B♭); 2nd inversion A♭add9/E♭ (E♭ A♭ C B♭).
Is A♭add9 the same as G♯ add9?
On the piano, yes: the same keys. The name changes with the key you are in - sharps in sharp keys, flats in flat keys.
Play it for real
Hold A♭add9 and build a progression on it
The GOONS piano studio has up to 88 keys, real piano samples, MIDI keyboard support, chord pads in any key and a sequencer. It comes with the GOONS Studio subscription - start with the 7-day free trial, no card required.