Badd9 is B major with C# added on top. It keeps the major third, D#, so it still sounds like B, only brighter and more open, the shimmer you hear in modern pop and acoustic arrangements. B has no easy open shape and neither does Badd9, but the clearest version is a compact four string chord that needs no barre at all.
Badd9 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: B add nine
- Symbol: Badd9
- Notes: B, D#, F#, C#
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badd9, four strings | xx9879 | B D# F# C# | The clearest Badd9: one note per finger, the ninth (C#) on top where you can hear it. |
| Badd9, low position | x21x22 | B D# C# F# | All four notes near the nut, no barre. The G string is muted by the first finger. |
| Badd9, seventh fret barre | 799879 | B F# B D# F# C# | B major barred at the seventh fret, with the fourth finger adding C# on the high E. Six strings. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
Badd9 on the neck: every B, D#, F#, C#
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Badd9: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Badd9.
How to play Badd9, three ways
1. Four strings: xx9879
Third finger on the D string at fret 9: B, the root. Second finger on the G string at fret 8: D#, the third. First finger on the B string at fret 7: F#, the fifth. Fourth finger on the high E at fret 9: C#, the ninth. Strum the top four strings only. The ninth is the highest note, so you hear the add9 color immediately.
2. Near the nut: x21x22
Second finger on the A string at fret 2 (B), first finger on the D string at fret 1 (D#), third finger on the B string at fret 2 (C#), fourth finger on the high E at fret 2 (F#). The G string must not ring: let the flat underside of the first finger rest against it. This is the shape to use when the rest of the song is in open position.
3. The barre: 799879
Start from the B major barre at the seventh fret, 799877, then put the fourth finger on the high E at fret 9. The third finger lies across the A and D strings at fret 9 to free it. It is a stretch, but it gives you all six strings with B in the bass.
Badd9, Bsus2, Bm(add9) and B9: which is which
All four have C# in them. What sets them apart is what sits next to it.
| Chord | Notes | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| Badd9 | B, D#, F#, C# | Major third kept, ninth added |
| Bsus2 | B, C#, F# | No third at all: neither major nor minor |
| Bm(add9) | B, D, F#, C# | Minor third, D, instead of D# |
| B9 | B, D#, F#, A, C# | Adds A, the seventh: a dominant that pulls to E |
The quickest test is your ear on the third. Play the chord one string at a time: if D# is missing, your Badd9 has turned into Bsus2.
Progressions to try with Badd9
Badd9 does the job of B major, with more air. Use it where B is the home chord, and keep the right hand steady while the left adds the color.
| Progression | Shapes | What to listen for |
|---|---|---|
| B, Badd9, B | x24442, x24642, x24442 | Only the G string moves, from B up to C# and back. |
| Badd9, E, F#, B | xx9879, 022100, 244322, x24442 | I, IV, V, I in B. The ninth opens the loop, plain B closes it. |
| B, Badd9, Bsus4, B | x24442, x24642, x24452, x24442 | Two colors around the same barre. Bsus4 changes the B string, Badd9 the G string. |
The same add9 idea exists on every major chord. In open position it is much easier: try Cadd9, Dadd9 or Eadd9 to train the ear first.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Badd9 on guitar?
What notes are in a Badd9 chord?
What is the difference between Badd9 and Bsus2?
What is the difference between Badd9 and B9?
Can I replace B with Badd9?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.