B add9 (Badd9) chord on piano

Add9 chord (a major triad plus a major ninth, no seventh) on B: the notes of the Badd9 chord are B – D♯ – F♯ – C♯.

Root position: B3 – D♯4 – F♯4 – C♯5

What the Badd9 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 Badd9 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B	root
3	D♯	major third (4 semitones)
5	F♯	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
9	C♯	major second (2 semitones)

Root position and inversions

An inversion uses the same notes, with a different note at the bottom. When you change chords, choosing the nearest inversion keeps your hand almost still.

Root position

B3 – D♯4 – F♯4 – C♯5

1st inversion

D♯4 – F♯4 – C♯5 – B4

2nd inversion

F♯4 – C♯5 – B4 – D♯5

3rd inversion

C♯5 – B4 – D♯5 – F♯5

Which keys is it in?

The Badd9 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 Badd9 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

A♭m – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
E♭m – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
Bmaj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
Bsus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Simpler versions

B – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
Bsus2 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

B9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Bmaj9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B11 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes
B13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Badd9 chord?

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

How do I play the Badd9 chord on piano?

In root position, the right hand usually plays with fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger, little finger); four-note chords with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5. The left hand mirrors this: 5, 3, 1. In an inversion the top or bottom note moves to the other side, so your hand moves less when you change chords.

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.