B♭ add9 (B♭add9) chord on guitar

Looking for the B♭add9 chord on guitar? It is an add9 chord (a major triad plus a major ninth, no seventh), made of four notes: B♭ – D – F – C. The same chord with a different spelling: A♯ add9 (A♯add9).

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

Barre, fret 3hard

Position 5medium

Position 6medium

Position 12medium

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

Chord finder Transposer Tuner

What the B♭add9 chord sounds like

An add9 chord is a major triad with an added ninth and no seventh. It sounds bright and shimmering – a favourite colour in acoustic pop.

Notes of the B♭add9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B♭	root
3	D	major third (4 semitones)
5	F	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
9	C	major second (2 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Easy version

String 1 (e): fret 1, ring finger (F4)
String 2 (B): fret 1, middle finger (C4)
String 3 (G): not played
String 4 (D): open (D3)
String 5 (A): fret 1, index finger (B♭2)
String 6 (E): not played

Barre, fret 3, barre at fret 3

String 1 (e): not played
String 2 (B): fret 3, index finger (D4)
String 3 (G): fret 3, index finger (B♭3)
String 4 (D): fret 3, index finger (F3)
String 5 (A): fret 3, index finger (C3)
String 6 (E): fret 6, little finger (B♭2)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 3; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Position 5, barre at fret 5

String 1 (e): fret 6, ring finger (B♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 6, ring finger (F4)
String 3 (G): fret 5, index finger (C4)
String 4 (D): fret 8, little finger (B♭3)
String 5 (A): fret 5, index finger (D3)
String 6 (E): fret 6, middle finger (B♭2)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 5; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Tuning: E A D G B E (low to high). String 6 is the thickest, the low E. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Playing B♭add9 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a B♭add9 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 1
shape: Aadd9

Capo: fret 3
shape: Gadd9

Capo: fret 6
shape: Eadd9

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The B♭add9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

B♭ major: Iadd9 (tonic)
E♭ major: Vadd9 (dominant)
F major: IVadd9 (subdominant)
C minor: VIIadd9
G minor: IIIadd9
D minor: VIadd9

Similar chords and substitutes

If B♭add9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Gm – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
Dm – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
B♭maj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
B♭sus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Simpler versions

B♭ – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
B♭sus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
B♭5 – all 2 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

B♭9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B♭maj9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B♭11 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes
B♭13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭add9 chord?

B♭, D, F, C. The root is B♭; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, major second.

What is the easiest way to play B♭add9 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Easy version”, rated easy. We show 5 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck. With a capo you can also play it as a Aadd9 shape at fret 1 or a Gadd9 shape at fret 3.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some B♭add9 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 4-note chord. The fifth (F) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without it.

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.