B♭ add9 (B♭add9) chord on piano

Looking for the B♭add9 chord on piano? 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).

Root position: B♭3 – D4 – F4 – C5

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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)
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

B♭3 – D4 – F4 – C5

1st inversion

D4 – F4 – C5 – B♭4

2nd inversion

F4 – C5 – B♭4 – D5

3rd inversion

C5 – B♭4 – D5 – F5

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

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.

How do I play the B♭add9 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.