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The Gadd9 chord on guitar, G major with a ninth

Gadd9 is a G chord with one extra note, A. Nothing is taken away: the major third, B, is still there, so the chord stays stable and happy. The A simply opens it up. It is the sound of a lot of modern acoustic pop and folk, and the open shape is easier than it looks.

Gadd9 chord: notes and shapes at a glance

  • Name: G add nine
  • Symbol: Gadd9
  • Notes: G, B, D, A

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
Gadd9, open 3x0203 G D A B G The standard Gadd9: G on both E strings, A on the G string, B and D open. The A string stays silent.
Gadd9, A string open 300203 G A D A B G Same fingers, but let the open A ring too. Fuller, with the ninth sounding twice.
Gadd9, four strings xx5435 G B D A A closed shape on the top four strings: G, B, D, A from low to high. Useful higher on the neck and with a pick.
Gadd9, open 3 x 0 2 0 3 3 · · 1 · 4 fingers
Gadd9, A string open 3 0 0 2 0 3 3 · · 1 · 4 fingers
Gadd9, four strings x x 5 4 3 5 · · 3 2 1 4 fingers

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.

Gadd9 on the neck: every G, B, D, A

Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Gadd9: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Gadd9.

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
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
2 - B
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
3 - G
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
4 - D
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
5 - A
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
6 - E
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E

How to play Gadd9, string by string

String Fret Finger Note
Low E 3 Third G, the root
A x Muted by the third finger -
D 0 - D, the fifth
G 2 First A, the ninth
B 0 - B, the third
High E 3 Fourth G, the root

Pluck the strings one at a time before you strum. The note to check is the open B: if the first finger leans on it, the third disappears and the chord slides toward a sus2.

From G played as 3x0003, Gadd9 is one finger: drop the first finger on the G string at fret 2 and lift it again. That back and forth is the best ear training for the add9 sound, and a nice move on a long G.

Gadd9, Gsus2 and G9 are three different chords

Chord Notes What it sounds like
Gadd9 G, B, D, A Major, bright, stable
Gsus2 G, A, D Open, hollow, no third
G9 G, B, D, F, A Bluesy, pulls toward C

The quick test: if B is there and F is not, it is an add9. Chord charts are not always careful with these names, so trust the notes rather than the symbol.

Progressions with Gadd9

Progression Shapes What to listen for
Gadd9, D, Em, C 3x0203, xx0232, 022000, x32010 The four chord loop, with a wider first chord
Gadd9, Cadd9, D, G 3x0203, x32033, xx0232, 320003 The ninth appears on G and on C, then plain chords to finish
G, Gadd9, Gsus4, G 3x0003, 3x0203, 3x0013, 3x0003 A on the G string, then C on the B string, over a still bass

Gadd9 and Cadd9 share their top note: the fourth finger stays on the high E at fret 3, a G in both chords, which is why the change sounds so smooth. Compare Gsus4 in the last line to hear a suspension next to an added note.

Common mistakes

  • The B string is muffled. The first finger on the G string is lying flat. Arch it and play with the tip.
  • A low growl under the chord. The A string is ringing in the first shape. Let the third finger touch it, or use the second shape on purpose.
  • Gadd9 on every G. The color loses its effect. Save it for the long chords and the moments you want to open up.

Frequently asked questions

How do you play Gadd9 on guitar?
Play 3x0203: third finger on the low E at fret 3, first finger on the G string at fret 2, fourth finger on the high E at fret 3. The D and B strings ring open, and the A string stays silent.
What notes are in a Gadd9 chord?
Four: G, B, D and A. A full G major chord (G, B, D) with A added. A is the ninth: the second note of the G scale, an octave up.
What is the difference between Gadd9 and Gsus2?
The third. Gadd9 keeps B and adds A, so it still sounds clearly major. Gsus2 removes B and puts A in its place, so it sounds open and unresolved, neither major nor minor.
What is the difference between Gadd9 and G9?
G9 also contains F, the minor seventh. That turns it into a dominant chord that pulls toward C. Gadd9 has no seventh: it is a brighter G that can stay put.
Can I play Gadd9 instead of G?
Often, if the melody accepts the A. It works best on long G chords and in slow arpeggios. If the singer holds a G or a B against it and something rubs, go back to the plain G.
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.