D♭add9
D♭add9
Notes
D♭ · F · A♭ · E♭
Intervals
- RootD♭ (1P)
- Major 3rdF (3M)
- Perfect 5thA♭ (5P)
- Major 9thE♭ (9M)
Fretboard
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About
The D♭add9 (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 D♭Maj9, 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)
- B Lydian (II)
- B♭ Blues (deg 2)
- B♭ Dorian (III)
- B♭ Minor Pentatonic (deg 2)
- B♭ Natural Minor (III)
- B♭ Phrygian (III)
- C Locrian (II)
- C Phrygian (II)
- E♭ Dorian (VII)
- E♭ Mixolydian (VII)
- E♭ Natural Minor (VII)
- F Locrian (VI)
- F Natural Minor (VI)
- F Phrygian (VI)
- F♯ Lydian (V)
- F♯ Major (V)
- F♯ Melodic Minor (V)
- G Locrian (V)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.