A♭add9
A♭add9
Notes
A♭ · C · E♭ · B♭
Intervals
- RootA♭ (1P)
- Major 3rdC (3M)
- Perfect 5thE♭ (5P)
- Major 9thB♭ (9M)
Fretboard
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About
The A♭add9 (A♭–C–E♭–B♭) adds a ninth to a major triad without including a 7th. The distinction matters: because there is no 7th, the chord stays harmonically stable and resolved rather than suggesting dominant or subdominant motion. The B♭ adds brightness and shimmer; the C retains the major identity. On guitar, open-string voicings make add9 sounds particularly resonant. The 5th can be omitted without loss; the 3rd and 9th are both essential. Compared to A♭Maj9, add9 is simpler and more grounded — a major triad with a single added color. Compared to plain A♭, the 9th adds a touch of modern shimmer.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- A♭ Lydian (I)
- A♭ Major (I)
- A♭ Major Pentatonic (deg 1)
- A♭ Mixolydian (I)
- B♭ Dorian (VII)
- B♭ Mixolydian (VII)
- B♭ Natural Minor (VII)
- C Locrian (VI)
- C Natural Minor (VI)
- C Phrygian (VI)
- D Locrian (V)
- D♭ Lydian (V)
- D♭ Major (V)
- D♭ Melodic Minor (V)
- E♭ Dorian (IV)
- E♭ Major (IV)
- E♭ Melodic Minor (IV)
- E♭ Mixolydian (IV)
- F Blues (deg 2)
- F Dorian (III)
- F Minor Pentatonic (deg 2)
- F Natural Minor (III)
- F Phrygian (III)
- F♯ Lydian (II)
- G Locrian (II)
- G Phrygian (II)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.