A♭add9 Chord on Guitar
A♭add9 is the A♭ add 9 chord — 4 notes (A♭, C, E♭, B♭) built from the formula 1 3 5 9. Below are playable shapes across the fretboard, the keys it belongs to and the scales to use when soloing over it.
A♭add9: Chord shapes (open & barre)
- fret 1
- fret 3
- fret 4
- fret 8
- fret 10
A♭add9: Drop 2 voicings
- bass: 9
- bass: R
- bass: R
Keys that contain A♭add9
Scales to play over A♭add9
- A♭ Major Scale
- A♭ Lydian Mode
- A♭ Major Pentatonic Scale
- A♭ Mixolydian Mode
- A♭ Major Blues Scale
- A♭ Lydian Dominant Scale
Ordered from the most common choice. All of them contain A♭, C, E♭, B♭.
Other A♭ chords
Add 9 chords in other keys
FAQ
- What notes are in the A♭add9 chord?
- A♭add9 (A♭ add 9) contains A♭, C, E♭, B♭ — formula 1 3 5 9.
- How do you play A♭add9 on guitar?
- A common shape is 411114 (low E to high E, x = muted string, around fret 1). This page shows more shapes, drop 2, drop 3 and shell voicings in the interactive library.
- What scale goes with A♭add9?
- Good choices to solo over A♭add9: A♭ Ionian (Major), A♭ Lydian, A♭ Major pentatonic.
- What key is A♭add9 in?
- A♭add9 is diatonic in D♭ major (Vadd9), E♭ major (IVadd9), A♭ major (Iadd9), C minor (♭VIadd9), F minor (♭IIIadd9), B♭ minor (♭VIIadd9).