Cadd9 chord on piano
Cadd9 is C, E, G and D. C sits just left of the pair of black keys. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.
root position · C–E–G–D · right hand 1-2-3-5
- Notes
- C · E · G · D
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5 · 9
How to play Cadd9 on piano
Start on C, count 4 half steps up to E, 3 half steps up to G then 7 half steps up to D. Those 4 keys are Cadd9.
- Right hand: 1 on C, 2 on E, 3 on G and 5 on D.
- Left hand: 5 on C, 3 on E, 2 on G and 1 on D.
- On the keyboard it's white, white, white and white keys, the same pattern as Fadd9 and Gadd9, so your hand shape carries over.
Two ways to voice Cadd9
- root position: C–E–G–D. RH 1-2-3-5.
- close voicing: C–D–E–G. RH 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.
Moving between Cadd9 and its neighbours
The chords Cadd9 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- F (IV in C major): Cadd9 to F: play F in 2nd inversion (C–F–A) and C stays under the same finger, while E moves up to F and G up to A. F on piano
- G (V in C major): Cadd9 to G: play G in root position (G–B–D) and G and D stay under the same fingers, while E moves up to B. G on piano
- Am (vi in C major): Cadd9 to Am: play Am in 1st inversion (C–E–A) and C and E stay under the same fingers, while G moves up to A. Am on piano
Cadd9 is C major with the ninth (the note a whole step above the root, an octave up) added. Cadd9 keeps the major sound and adds sparkle, which makes it a drop-in replacement for C in quiet passages. Play it solid and then broken to hear the difference.
A short Cadd9 drill
Start with a broken chord, C E G D G E C, then play it solid.
The keys of Cadd9
Cadd9 is a add 9 chord, 1–3–5–9 from C. Root position, from the bottom: how Cadd9 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| E | white key | RH 2 · LH 3 | major third |
| G | white key | RH 3 · LH 2 | perfect fifth |
| D | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | ninth |
Where Cadd9 shows up
Cadd9 on guitar and ukulele
The same notes on another instrument: Cadd9 on guitar and Cadd9 on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.
Related C chords on piano
Other add 9 chords
Cadd9 on piano: questions
What notes are in Cadd9 on piano?
C, E, G and D: C (white key), E (white key), G (white key) and D (white key). Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
How do you play Cadd9 on piano?
Press C, E, G and D together, all white keys. Right hand: 1 on C, 2 on E, 3 on G and 5 on D.
What are the inversions of Cadd9?
Cadd9 is usually played in root position (C–E–G–D) or as a close voicing (C–D–E–G).
What does Cadd9 look like on the keyboard?
white, white, white and white keys, the same pattern as Fadd9 and Gadd9, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Shapes and sound are generated from the notes C, E, G and D and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.