Root position E♭add9
E♭ – G – B♭ – F
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-4-3-1
E♭add9 Chord on Piano
E♭add9 E♭ G B♭ F Formula 1 3 5 9 4 notes
Also written D♯ add9: the same keys under another name.
Notes
What notes are in the E♭add9 chord?
The E♭add9 chord has 4 notes: E♭, G, B♭, F. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| E♭ | Root | 0 |
| G | Major 3rd | 4 |
| B♭ | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| F | Major 9th | 14 |
Inversions and fingering
Every way to play E♭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 E♭add9/G
G – B♭ – E♭ – F
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-4-3-1
2nd inversion E♭add9/B♭
B♭ – E♭ – G – F
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-4-3-1
Where it lives
Keys and scales with E♭add9
Every key where E♭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.
E♭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 E♭add9 chord?
The E♭add9 chord (E♭add9) is made of E♭, G, B♭, F. Its formula is 1 3 5 9 - the root, then the intervals of a add 9 chord.
How do you play E♭add9 on the piano?
Put your right thumb on E♭ 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 E♭add9?
root position E♭add9 (E♭ G B♭ F); 1st inversion E♭add9/G (G B♭ E♭ F); 2nd inversion E♭add9/B♭ (B♭ E♭ G F).
Is E♭add9 the same as D♯ 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 E♭add9 and build a progression on it
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