Cadd9 Guitar Chord
Cadd9 is a four-note chord built from C, E, G, D. Adding the major ninth to the major triad — without including a seventh — gives it an open, ringing quality widely heard in acoustic pop, folk, and rock. It retains the brightness of C major while adding a subtle harmonic shimmer.
Notes in the C Add 9 Chord
The C Add 9 chord is built from 4 notes: C, E, G, D. It is a add 9th chord — built from a root, major 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 C Add 9
Cadd9 is built on the C major chord, which appears diatonically in these keys:
Common Chord Progressions with Cadd9
C Add 9 appears in many common progressions. Here are the most-used patterns when Cadd9 is the tonic chord:
Use our chords in a key tool to find all the chords that naturally pair with Cadd9 in any key.
Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the C Add 9 chord?
The C Add 9 chord is made up of C, E, G, D. These 4 notes form a four-note chord structure.
What key is the C Add 9 chord in?
C 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 Cadd9 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 C Chords
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