Cadd9
Cadd9
Notes
C · E · G · D
Intervals
- RootC (1P)
- Major 3rdE (3M)
- Perfect 5thG (5P)
- Major 9thD (9M)
Fretboard
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About
The Cadd9 (C–E–G–D) 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 D adds brightness and shimmer; the E 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 CMaj9, add9 is simpler and more grounded — a major triad with a single added color. Compared to plain C, 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
- C Lydian (I)
- C Major (I)
- C Major Pentatonic (deg 1)
- C Mixolydian (I)
- A Blues (deg 2)
- A Dorian (III)
- A Minor Pentatonic (deg 2)
- A Natural Minor (III)
- A Phrygian (III)
- B Locrian (II)
- B Phrygian (II)
- B♭ Lydian (II)
- D Dorian (VII)
- D Mixolydian (VII)
- D Natural Minor (VII)
- E Locrian (VI)
- E Natural Minor (VI)
- E Phrygian (VI)
- F Lydian (V)
- F Major (V)
- F Melodic Minor (V)
- F♯ Locrian (V)
- G Dorian (IV)
- G Major (IV)
- G Melodic Minor (IV)
- G Mixolydian (IV)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.