B♭add9
B♭add9
Notes
B♭ · D · F · C
Intervals
- RootB♭ (1P)
- Major 3rdD (3M)
- Perfect 5thF (5P)
- Major 9thC (9M)
Fretboard
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About
The B♭add9 (B♭–D–F–C) 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 C adds brightness and shimmer; the D 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 B♭Maj9, add9 is simpler and more grounded — a major triad with a single added color. Compared to plain B♭, 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
- B♭ Lydian (I)
- B♭ Major (I)
- B♭ Major Pentatonic (deg 1)
- B♭ Mixolydian (I)
- A Locrian (II)
- A Phrygian (II)
- A♭ Lydian (II)
- C Dorian (VII)
- C Mixolydian (VII)
- C Natural Minor (VII)
- D Locrian (VI)
- D Natural Minor (VI)
- D Phrygian (VI)
- E Locrian (V)
- E♭ Lydian (V)
- E♭ Major (V)
- E♭ Melodic Minor (V)
- F Dorian (IV)
- F Major (IV)
- F Melodic Minor (IV)
- F Mixolydian (IV)
- G Blues (deg 2)
- G Dorian (III)
- G Minor Pentatonic (deg 2)
- G Natural Minor (III)
- G Phrygian (III)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.