A♭add9
Ab Added 9th — a plain triad plus the ninth — colour without the seventh, clean and contemporary.
The keys
A♭ – C – E♭ – B♭
What's inside A♭add9
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | Root | 1 |
| C | Major 3rd | 3 |
| E♭ | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| B♭ | Major 9th | 9 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | A♭4 – C5 – E♭5 – B♭5 |
| 1st inversion | C5 – E♭5 – B♭5 – A♭5 |
| 2nd inversion | E♭5 – B♭5 – A♭5 – C6 |
| 3rd inversion | B♭5 – A♭5 – C6 – E♭6 |
A working voicing
Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:
| Hand | Keys |
|---|---|
| Left (shell) | A♭2 – E♭3 |
| Right (colour) | C5 – B♭5 |
Where A♭add9 lives
As the I chord
A♭add9 → D♭ → E♭ → A♭add9
The classic I–IV–V–I motion with this chord as home.
In a ii–V–I
B♭m7 → E♭7 → A♭add9
The strongest cadence in harmony, resolving onto this chord.
Put A♭add9 under your fingers
Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.
Open the Chord & Voicing Lab →