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