Gadd9 chord on guitar

Gadd9 is G, B, D and A. The easiest shape is 3-0-0-0-0-x. Tap Play, then slow it down.

3-0-0-0-0-x · open · easy

Notes: G · B · D · A
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · 9
First shape: 3-0-0-0-0-x

How to play Gadd9 on guitar

Shape 1, 3-0-0-0-0-x, reading from the low E string on the left:

Index finger: low E string, 3rd fret (G).
Let the open A, D, G and B strings ring (A, D, G and B).
Keep the high E string quiet by touching it lightly with a fretting finger.

If an open string sounds dead, a fingertip is leaning on it. Come down more on the tips, with your knuckles bent.

Other ways to play Gadd9

x-10-9-7-10-x: movable shape at the 7th fret, medium. Root on the 5th string, so it pairs well with the 6th-string shape a few frets away.
15-12-12-14-12-15: partial barre shape at the 12th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.

Playing Gadd9 with a capo

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 3rd fret and play the open Eadd9 shape (0-2-4-1-0-0) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open Cadd9 shape (x-3-2-0-3-0). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

Changing from Gadd9 to the chords around it

Songs rarely hold Gadd9 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

C (IV in G major): Gadd9 (3-0-0-0-0-x) to C (x-3-2-0-1-0): the index finger goes to the B string, 1st fret, the middle finger comes down on the D string, 2nd fret, the ring finger comes down on the A string, 3rd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Listen for G, which stays put while the rest moves. C on guitar
D (V in G major): Gadd9 (3-0-0-0-0-x) to D (x-x-0-2-3-2): your index finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, the middle finger comes down on the high E string, 2nd fret, the ring finger comes down on the B string, 3rd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share D and A, which is why the change sounds smooth. D on guitar
Em (vi in G major): Gadd9 (3-0-0-0-0-x) to Em (0-2-2-0-0-0): move the index finger to the A string, 2nd fret, the middle finger comes down on the D string, 2nd fret. G and B carry over from one chord to the other. Em on guitar

Gadd9 is G major with the ninth (the note a whole step above the root, an octave up) added. Gadd9 keeps the major sound and adds sparkle, which makes it a drop-in replacement for G in quiet passages. Play it once strummed and once picked to hear the difference.

Practice Gadd9 in two minutes

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: G, A, D, G, B. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Next, alternate 3-0-0-0-0-x and x-10-9-7-10-x, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

Keys and progressions with Gadd9

Gadd9 on piano and ukulele

Gadd9 on piano and ukulele uses the same 4 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Next to try on guitar

Other add 9 chords

Gadd9 on guitar: questions

What notes are in Gadd9 on guitar?

G, B, D and A. In the 3-0-0-0-0-x shape the strings play G (low E string), A (A string, open), D (D string, open), G (G string, open) and B (B string, open), so G is doubled.

What's the easiest way to play Gadd9 on guitar?

3-0-0-0-0-x, the shape at the top of this page. It uses open strings, so there is no barre to press.

Is Gadd9 a barre chord on guitar?

Not in its common form: 3-0-0-0-0-x needs no barre.

Which string does Gadd9 start on?

In the 3-0-0-0-0-x shape the lowest string you play is the low E string at the 3rd fret, which is G, the root.

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Gadd9. Updated September 2026.