D add9 (Dadd9) chord on guitar

Add9 chord (a major triad plus a major ninth, no seventh) on D: the notes of the Dadd9 chord are D – F♯ – A – E.

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

Position 2medium

Position 4medium

Position 9medium

Position 10medium

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 Dadd9 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 Dadd9 chord

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

How to play it – with fingering

Easy version, barre at fret 7

String 1 (e): open (E4)
String 2 (B): fret 7, index finger (F♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 7, index finger (D4)
String 4 (D): not played
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): not played

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 7; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Position 2

String 1 (e): fret 2, middle finger (F♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 5, little finger (E4)
String 3 (G): fret 2, index finger (A3)
String 4 (D): open (D3)
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): not played

Position 2

String 1 (e): open (E4)
String 2 (B): fret 3, middle finger (D4)
String 3 (G): fret 2, index finger (A3)
String 4 (D): fret 4, ring finger (F♯3)
String 5 (A): fret 5, little finger (D3)
String 6 (E): not played

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 Dadd9 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a Dadd9 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 2
shape: Cadd9

Capo: fret 5
shape: Aadd9

Capo: fret 7
shape: Gadd9

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The Dadd9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

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

Similar chords and substitutes

If Dadd9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Bm – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
F♯m – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
Dmaj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
Dsus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Simpler versions

D – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Dsus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
D5 – all 2 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

D9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Dmaj9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
D11 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes
D13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Dadd9 chord?

D, F♯, A, E. The root is D; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, major second.

What is the easiest way to play Dadd9 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Easy version”, rated easy. We show 6 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck. With a capo you can also play it as a Cadd9 shape at fret 2 or a Aadd9 shape at fret 5.

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 Dadd9 shapes?

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

How is the Dadd9 chord written?

The chord symbol is Dadd9, and its full name is D add9.