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A♭add9 chord

A♭add9 (A♭ add nine) is A♭, C, E♭ and B♭. It sounds bright, like a major chord with a shimmer on top. Also written G♯add9 (G♯ B♯ D♯ A♯): the same keys.

A♭add9

A♭ add nine · A♭ C E♭ B♭ · 1 3 5 9

CA♭E♭B♭

Or pick another chord to see and hear it

Root
Chord

Tap keys on the piano to find which chord they make. The editor opens without an account.

Notes in the A♭add9 chord

From A♭, count 4 half steps up to C, 3 more to E♭ and 7 more to B♭. Its formula is 1 3 5 9: each number is the note’s place in the A♭ major scale, with ♭ a half step lower and ♯ a half step higher. On the piano it is one white key and three black keys (A♭, E♭ and B♭).

The notes of A♭add9 and their intervals from A♭
NoteFormulaIntervalHalf steps up
A♭1Root0
C3Major third4
E♭5Perfect fifth7
B♭9Major ninth14

A♭add9 chord inversions

An inversion is the same chord with another of its notes at the bottom. It keeps the chord’s sound but moves your hand less between chords, which is why pianists use them all the time. The notes are listed lowest first.

Root position

A♭ C E♭ B♭

Written A♭add9, with the root at the bottom.

1st inversion

C E♭ B♭ A♭

Written A♭add9/C: C at the bottom.

2nd inversion

E♭ B♭ A♭ C

Written A♭add9/E♭: E♭ at the bottom.

3rd inversion

B♭ A♭ C E♭

Written A♭add9/B♭: B♭ at the bottom.

Keys with the A♭add9 chord

A♭add9 is built from the notes of these keys, so it fits songs in them. The Roman numeral says which note of the key it starts on. Each key’s page has its scale and all its chords.

Major keys
Minor keys

Chords that often come after A♭add9

E♭E♭ G B♭A♭add9 to E♭ is I to V, a bright pop move.D♭add9D♭ F A♭ E♭A♭add9 to D♭add9 is I to IV, both with the ninth on top.Fm7F A♭ C E♭A♭add9 to Fm7 is I to vi7, soft and open.

More piano chords

Other chords on A♭

A♭G♯mA♭7A♭maj7G♯m7A♭sus2A♭sus4A♭9A♭6G♯dimG♯m7♭5G♯dim7A♭aug

Add nine chords on other notes

Cadd9D♭add9Dadd9E♭add9Eadd9Fadd9F♯add9Gadd9Aadd9B♭add9Badd9

Or see every chord at once on the piano chords chart.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the A♭add9 chord?

A♭add9 is A♭, C, E♭ and B♭. On the piano that is one white key and three black keys (A♭, E♭ and B♭).

How do you play A♭add9 on the piano?

With your right hand, play A♭, C, E♭ and B♭ with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 (thumb to little finger). With your left hand it is 5, 3, 2 and 1. From A♭, count 4 half steps up to C, 3 more to E♭ and 7 more to B♭.

What are the inversions of A♭add9?

Root position: A♭ C E♭ B♭. 1st inversion: C E♭ B♭ A♭ (A♭add9/C). 2nd inversion: E♭ B♭ A♭ C (A♭add9/E♭). 3rd inversion: B♭ A♭ C E♭ (A♭add9/B♭). The notes are the same; only the lowest one changes.

What key is A♭add9 in?

In major keys, A♭add9 is the Iadd9 chord in A♭ major, the Vadd9 chord in D♭ major and the IVadd9 chord in E♭ major. In minor keys, it is the VIadd9 chord in C minor, the IIIadd9 chord in F minor and the VIIadd9 chord in B♭ minor.

Is A♭add9 the same as G♯add9?

On the piano, yes: the same keys. A♭add9 (A♭ C E♭ B♭) is how it is usually written; as G♯add9 it is G♯ B♯ D♯ A♯.

Can I make a beat with A♭add9?

Yes. “Make a beat in A♭ major” opens the free editor with a lo-fi beat in A♭ major on A♭ E♭ Fm D♭, the key where A♭add9 is the Iadd9 chord. Then change any part, add a melody and your voice, part by part. No account is needed to start.

Make a beat in A♭ major

Opens the free editor with a lo-fi beat in A♭ major on A♭ E♭ Fm D♭, the key where A♭add9 is the Iadd9 chord. Then change any part, add a melody and your voice, part by part. No account needed to start.

Make a beat in A♭ majorAll piano chords

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