G add9 (Gadd9) chord on guitar

Add9 chord (a major triad plus a major ninth, no seventh) on G: the notes of the Gadd9 chord are G – B – D – A.

Dots show:

Open positionmedium

Position 2medium

Position 5easy

Position 9medium

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 Gadd9 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 Gadd9 chord

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

How to play it – with fingering

Open position

String 1 (e): fret 3, little finger (G4)
String 2 (B): open (B3)
String 3 (G): fret 2, ring finger (A3)
String 4 (D): open (D3)
String 5 (A): fret 2, index finger (B2)
String 6 (E): fret 3, middle finger (G2)

Position 2

String 1 (e): fret 3, middle finger (G4)
String 2 (B): open (B3)
String 3 (G): fret 2, index finger (A3)
String 4 (D): fret 5, little finger (G3)
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): not played

Position 5

String 1 (e): fret 5, middle finger (A4)
String 2 (B): open (B3)
String 3 (G): open (G3)
String 4 (D): fret 5, index finger (G3)
String 5 (A): not played
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 Gadd9 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a Gadd9 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 3
shape: Eadd9

Capo: fret 7
shape: Cadd9

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The Gadd9 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

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

Similar chords and substitutes

If Gadd9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Em – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
Bm – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
Gmaj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
Gsus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Simpler versions

G – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Gsus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
G5 – all 2 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

G9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Gmaj9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
G11 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes
G13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Gadd9 chord?

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

What is the easiest way to play Gadd9 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Position 5”, rated easy. We show 4 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 3 or a Cadd9 shape at fret 7.

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 Gadd9 shapes?

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

How is the Gadd9 chord written?

The chord symbol is Gadd9, and its full name is G add9.