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The Cm(add9) chord (C minor add nine) on guitar

Cm(add9) is C minor with a D added above it. The minor third, Eb, keeps the chord dark; the ninth, D, lets air in. The result is a sound that is melancholic without being heavy, the kind of chord that carries a slow arpeggio on its own. And the shape is friendlier than C minor itself: it uses an open string and needs no barre.

Cm(add9) chord: notes and shapes at a glance

  • Name: C minor add nine
  • Symbol: Cm(add9)
  • Notes: C, Eb, G, D

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
Cm(add9), five strings x3103x C Eb G D The lighter version: all four notes, high E left out. Three fingers and an open G string.
Cm(add9), full open shape x31033 C Eb G D G The reference voicing: the fourth finger adds G on the high E. Dark, open, made for arpeggios.
Cm(add9), root on the low E 8 x 10 8 8 10 C C Eb G D First finger at fret 8 on the low E, G and B strings, with the fifth string muted; third finger on the D string at fret 10, fourth finger on the high E at fret 10.
Cm(add9), five strings x 3 1 0 3 x · 2 1 · 3 · fingers
Cm(add9), full open shape x 3 1 0 3 3 · 2 1 · 3 4 fingers
Cm(add9), root on the low E 8 x 10 8 8 10

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.

Cm(add9) on the neck: every C, Eb, G, D

Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Cm(add9): any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Cm(add9).

Fretboard notes
Swipe the fretboard sideways to see every fret.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1 - E
E
F
Gb
G
Ab
A
Bb
B
C
Db
D
Eb
E
2 - B
B
C
Db
D
Eb
E
F
Gb
G
Ab
A
Bb
B
3 - G
G
Ab
A
Bb
B
C
Db
D
Eb
E
F
Gb
G
4 - D
D
Eb
E
F
Gb
G
Ab
A
Bb
B
C
Db
D
5 - A
A
Bb
B
C
Db
D
Eb
E
F
Gb
G
Ab
A
6 - E
E
F
Gb
G
Ab
A
Bb
B
C
Db
D
Eb
E

How to play Cm(add9), string by string

The reference shape is x31033. Place it from the bass up.

String Fret and finger Note Role
6, low E Not played Keeps C in the bass
5, A Fret 3, second finger C Root
4, D Fret 1, first finger Eb Minor third
3, G Open G Fifth
2, B Fret 3, third finger D Added ninth
1, high E Fret 3, fourth finger G Fifth
The open G string is the trap. The first finger on the D string tends to lean on it. Arch the first finger so it comes down on its tip, then pick the G string alone to check it rings.

From C minor to Cm(add9): one finger

There is a light C minor in the same spot: x3101x, which plays C, Eb, G, C. Change one note: the C at fret 1 on the B string becomes D at fret 3, and you have x3103x. That is the whole difference between C minor and Cm(add9).

Go back and forth slowly: Cm, Cm(add9), Cm. The Eb stays in place and keeps the chord minor; the D opens it up. That contrast is the reason the chord exists.

Cm(add9), Csus2, Cadd9, Cm9: four different chords

These names look alike and are often confused. The table shows the one note that tells them apart.

Chord Notes What to understand
Cm(add9) C, Eb, G, D The full minor chord, plus the ninth.
Csus2 C, D, G No third at all: neither major nor minor.
Cadd9 C, E, G, D Same idea, but on a major chord: E instead of Eb.
Cm9 C, Eb, G, Bb, D Adds the minor seventh too. Denser, closer to Cm7.

Progressions to try

Cm(add9) is usually a home chord: it replaces the C minor of a song in C minor when you want a softer, more open color. These two loops stay in that key.

Progression Shapes
Cm(add9), Ab, Eb, Bb x31033, 466544, x68886, x13331
Cm(add9), Gm, Ab, Fm x31033, 355333, 466544, 133111

Play them as arpeggios first, one string at a time, with a steady pulse. The aim is not speed: it is hearing the D ring clearly over each change. The picking hand technique page covers the right hand side of that.

To try it in a song you may know: Radiohead's Creep ends its loop on C minor. Play that chord as Cm(add9) and compare. It is not the recorded version, but it is a quick way to hear what the ninth adds. The same color on another root is on the Dm(add9) chord page.

Frequently asked questions

How do you play Cm(add9) on guitar?
Play x31033: second finger on the fifth string (A) at fret 3, first finger on the fourth string (D) at fret 1, third string (G) open, third finger on the second string (B) at fret 3, fourth finger on the first string (high E) at fret 3. Do not play the low E.
What notes are in a C minor add9 chord?
Four: C, Eb, G and D. That is a C minor triad (C, Eb, G) with D, the ninth, added on top. There is no seventh.
What is the difference between Cm(add9) and Cm9?
The seventh. Cm9 has C, Eb, G, Bb and D: the minor seventh is in the chord. Cm(add9) keeps only the ninth, so it is lighter and more open. If a chart says Cm9 and you play Cm(add9), you lose the Bb.
Is Cm(add9) the same as Csus2?
No. Csus2 is C, D, G: the D replaces the third, so the chord is neither major nor minor. Cm(add9) keeps the minor third, Eb, and adds D. If the Eb on the D string does not ring, you are really playing Csus2.
When should I use Cm(add9) instead of Cm?
When a C minor needs more air: in arpeggios, slow ballads, film-like moods, and at the end of a phrase. Use it on chosen moments rather than everywhere. If the melody sings a C or an Eb right against the D, the add9 can blur it, and plain Cm is the better choice.
Yohann Abbou, guitar teacher and founder of Guitar Social Club

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.