F add9 (Fadd9) chord on guitar

The F add9 chord (Fadd9) is an add9 chord (a major triad plus a major ninth, no seventh), made of four notes: F – A – C – G.

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

Position 1medium

Position 7medium

Position 12medium

Position 13medium

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 Fadd9 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 Fadd9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	F	root
3	A	major third (4 semitones)
5	C	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
9	G	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): open (G3)
String 4 (D): not played
String 5 (A): open (A2)
String 6 (E): fret 1, index finger (F2)

Position 1

String 1 (e): fret 3, little finger (G4)
String 2 (B): fret 1, index finger (C4)
String 3 (G): fret 2, middle finger (A3)
String 4 (D): fret 3, ring finger (F3)
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): not played

Position 7

String 1 (e): fret 8, ring finger (C5)
String 2 (B): fret 8, ring finger (G4)
String 3 (G): fret 10, little finger (F4)
String 4 (D): fret 7, index finger (A3)
String 5 (A): fret 8, middle finger (F3)
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 Fadd9 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a Fadd9 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 1
shape: Eadd9

Capo: fret 5
shape: Cadd9

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The Fadd9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

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

Similar chords and substitutes

If Fadd9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Dm – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
Am – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
Fmaj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
Fsus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Simpler versions

F – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Fsus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
F5 – all 2 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

F9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Fmaj9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
F11 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes
F13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Fadd9 chord?

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

What is the easiest way to play Fadd9 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 Eadd9 shape at fret 1 or a Cadd9 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 Fadd9 shapes?

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

How is the Fadd9 chord written?

The chord symbol is Fadd9, and its full name is F add9.