B♭add9 chord on piano
B♭add9 is B♭, D, F and C. B♭ is the last black key of the group of three. Tap Play, then slow it down.
root position · B♭–D–F–C · right hand 1-2-3-5
- Notes
- B♭ · D · F · C
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5 · 9
How to play B♭add9 on piano
From B♭, go 4 half steps up to D, 3 half steps up to F then 7 half steps up to C. Those 4 keys are B♭add9.
- Right hand: 1 on B♭, 2 on D, 3 on F and 5 on C.
- Left hand: 5 on B♭, 3 on D, 2 on F and 1 on C.
- On the keyboard it's black, white, white and white keys.
Two ways to voice B♭add9
- root position: B♭–D–F–C. Right hand 1-2-3-5.
- close voicing: B♭–C–D–F. Right hand 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.
B♭add9 chord changes
These are the changes you'll meet most often with B♭add9, using the first shape of each chord.
- E♭ (IV in B♭ major): B♭add9 to E♭: play E♭ in 2nd inversion (B♭–E♭–G) and B♭ stays under the same finger, while D moves up to E♭ and F up to G. E♭ on piano
- F (V in B♭ major): B♭add9 to F: play F in root position (F–A–C) and F and C stay under the same fingers, while D moves up to A. F on piano
- Gm (vi in B♭ major): B♭add9 to Gm: play Gm in 1st inversion (B♭–D–G) and B♭ and D stay under the same fingers, while F moves up to G. Gm on piano
B♭add9 is B♭ major with the ninth (the note a whole step above the root, an octave up) added. B♭add9 keeps the major sound and adds sparkle, which makes it a drop-in replacement for B♭ in quiet passages. The one-by-one button above makes that quality easy to hear.
Practice B♭add9 in two minutes
Play B♭add9 broken, one key at a time: B♭, D, F, C, F, D, B♭. Then press the keys together and check that all 4 sound at the same volume.
The keys of B♭add9
B♭add9 is a add 9 chord, 1–3–5–9 from B♭. Root position, from the bottom: how B♭add9 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| B♭ | black key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| D | white key | RH 2 · LH 3 | major third |
| F | white key | RH 3 · LH 2 | perfect fifth |
| C | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | ninth |
You may also see it as A♯add9; nothing changes on the piano.
Where B♭add9 shows up
B♭add9 on guitar and ukulele
Switching instruments? Try B♭add9 on ukulele or B♭add9 on guitar, or compare them on the B♭add9 chord page.
Related B♭ chords on piano
Other add 9 chords
B♭add9 on piano: questions
What notes are in B♭add9 on piano?
B♭, D, F and C: B♭ (black key), D (white key), F (white key) and C (white key). Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
How do you play B♭add9 on piano?
Press B♭, D, F and C together (1 black, 3 white). Right hand: 1 on B♭, 2 on D, 3 on F and 5 on C.
What are the inversions of B♭add9?
B♭add9 is usually played in root position (B♭–D–F–C) or as a close voicing (B♭–C–D–F).
What does B♭add9 look like on the keyboard?
black, white, white and white keys.
Every shape above plays only B♭, D, F and C, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.