Amadd9 Guitar Chord
Amadd9 is a four-note chord built from A, C, E, B. Adding the major ninth to the minor triad — without a seventh — produces a rich, bittersweet sound used in ambient, indie, and neo-soul music. The ninth softens the darkness of the minor chord without the harmonic weight of a seventh.
4 ways to play Amadd9
Notes
Intervals
A (Root), C (Minor 3rd), E (Perfect 5th), B (Major 9th)
Found in keys
Notes in the A Minor Add 9 Chord
The A Minor Add 9 chord is built from 4 notes: A, C, E, B. It is a minor add 9th chord — built from a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and added major ninth — no seventh is present. On guitar, these notes are voiced across multiple strings simultaneously to create the full chord sound. Depending on the voicing, some notes may be doubled in different octaves to fill out the sound.
Keys That Contain A Minor Add 9
Amadd9 is built on the Am minor chord, which appears diatonically in these keys:
Common Chord Progressions with Amadd9
A Minor Add 9 appears in many common progressions. Here are the most-used patterns when Amadd9 is the tonic minor chord:
Use our chords in a key tool to find all the chords that naturally pair with Amadd9 in any key.
Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the A Minor Add 9 chord?
The A Minor Add 9 chord is made up of A, C, E, B. These 4 notes form a four-note chord structure.
What key is the A Minor Add 9 chord in?
A Minor Add 9 naturally appears in the keys of C Major, G Major, F Major. It can also appear in other contexts as a borrowed chord or secondary chord.
How do I play the Amadd9 chord on guitar?
Place your fingers on the guitar fretboard according to the diagram above. The numbered dots show finger placement (1 = index, 2 = middle, 3 = ring, 4 = pinky), "O" means play the string open, and "X" means mute that string.
Other A Chords
Write chord sheets with Amadd9 in Chordly — click any chord to add it to your lyrics, then share or export.
Drag and drop chords directly onto your lyrics, build guitar tabs, and practice hands-free with autoscroll Play Mode. All in your browser — no download needed.