Aadd9 chord on piano
Aadd9 is A, C♯, E and B. You'll find A between the last two black keys of the three (a white key). Press Play to hear it, then try it at half speed.
root position · A–C♯–E–B · right hand 1-2-3-5
- Notes
- A · C♯ · E · B
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5 · 9
How to play Aadd9 on piano
Count keys (black and white) from A: 4 half steps up to C♯, 3 half steps up to E then 7 half steps up to B. That's the whole chord: 4 keys.
- Right hand: 1 on A, 2 on C♯, 3 on E and 5 on B.
- Left hand: 5 on A, 3 on C♯, 2 on E and 1 on B.
- On the keyboard it's white, black, white and white keys, the same pattern as Dadd9, so your hand shape carries over.
Two ways to voice Aadd9
- root position: A–C♯–E–B. Fingers 1-2-3-5.
- close voicing: A–B–C♯–E. Fingers 1-2-3-5.
The close voicing folds the ninth down next to the root, which fits under one hand; the spread voicing sounds wider.
Changing from Aadd9 to the chords around it
Songs rarely hold Aadd9 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.
- D (IV in A major): Aadd9 to D: play D in 2nd inversion (A–D–F♯) and A stays under the same finger, while C♯ moves up to D and E up to F♯. D on piano
- E (V in A major): Aadd9 to E: play E in root position (E–G♯–B) and E and B stay under the same fingers, while C♯ moves up to G♯. E on piano
- F♯m (vi in A major): Aadd9 to F♯m: play F♯m in 1st inversion (A–C♯–F♯) and A and C♯ stay under the same fingers, while E moves up to F♯. F♯m on piano
Aadd9 is A major with the ninth (the note a whole step above the root, an octave up) added. Aadd9 keeps the major sound and adds sparkle, which makes it a drop-in replacement for A in quiet passages. On piano you hear it best with the keys pressed together, then rolled.
Getting Aadd9 under your fingers
Play Aadd9 broken, one key at a time: A, C♯, E, B, E, C♯, A. Then press the keys together and check that all 4 sound at the same volume.
The keys of Aadd9
Aadd9 is a add 9 chord, 1–3–5–9 from A. Root position, from the bottom: how Aadd9 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| C♯ | black key | RH 2 · LH 3 | major third |
| E | white key | RH 3 · LH 2 | perfect fifth |
| B | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | ninth |
Keys and progressions with Aadd9
Aadd9 on guitar and ukulele
Switching instruments? Try Aadd9 on ukulele or Aadd9 on guitar, or compare them on the Aadd9 chord page.
Next to try on piano
Other add 9 chords
Aadd9 on piano: questions
What notes are in Aadd9 on piano?
A, C♯, E and B: A (white key), C♯ (black key), E (white key) and B (white key). Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
How do you play Aadd9 on piano?
Press A, C♯, E and B together (1 black, 3 white). Right hand: 1 on A, 2 on C♯, 3 on E and 5 on B.
What are the inversions of Aadd9?
Aadd9 is usually played in root position (A–C♯–E–B) or as a close voicing (A–B–C♯–E).
What does Aadd9 look like on the keyboard?
white, black, white and white keys, the same pattern as Dadd9, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Every shape above plays only A, C♯, E and B, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.