G add9 (Gadd9) chord on ukulele

The G add9 chord (Gadd9) is an add9 chord (a major triad plus a major ninth, no seventh), made of four notes: G – B – D – A.

Dots show:

Basic shapemedium

Position 7easy

Position 4medium

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 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

Basic shape

String 1 (A): fret 2, ring finger (B4)
String 2 (E): fret 3, little finger (G4)
String 3 (C): fret 2, middle finger (D4)
String 4 (G): fret 2, index finger (A4)

Position 7

String 1 (A): open (A4)
String 2 (E): fret 7, ring finger (B4)
String 3 (C): fret 7, middle finger (G4)
String 4 (G): fret 7, index finger (D5)

Position 4

String 1 (A): fret 5, ring finger (D5)
String 2 (E): fret 5, middle finger (A4)
String 3 (C): fret 7, little finger (G4)
String 4 (G): fret 4, index finger (B4)

Tuning: G C E A (the G string is higher than the C – standard re-entrant ukulele tuning). In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

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

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 ukulele?

The easiest shape above is “Position 7”, rated easy. We show 4 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

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.