Dadd9
Dadd9
Notes
D · F♯ · A · E
Intervals
- RootD (1P)
- Major 3rdF♯ (3M)
- Perfect 5thA (5P)
- Major 9thE (9M)
Fretboard
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
About
The Dadd9 (D–F♯–A–E) 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 E adds brightness and shimmer; the F♯ 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 DMaj9, add9 is simpler and more grounded — a major triad with a single added color. Compared to plain D, 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
- D Lydian (I)
- D Major (I)
- D Major Pentatonic (deg 1)
- D Mixolydian (I)
- A Dorian (IV)
- A Major (IV)
- A Melodic Minor (IV)
- A Mixolydian (IV)
- A♭ Locrian (V)
- B Blues (deg 2)
- B Dorian (III)
- B Minor Pentatonic (deg 2)
- B Natural Minor (III)
- B Phrygian (III)
- C Lydian (II)
- D♭ Locrian (II)
- D♭ Phrygian (II)
- E Dorian (VII)
- E Mixolydian (VII)
- E Natural Minor (VII)
- F♯ Locrian (VI)
- F♯ Natural Minor (VI)
- F♯ Phrygian (VI)
- G Lydian (V)
- G Major (V)
- G Melodic Minor (V)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.