B added 9th · Guitar
Badd9 Chord on Guitar
The Badd9 chord (B added 9th) is built from the notes B, D#, F# and C#. The guitar fingering for it is shown below.
Chord diagrams
Fingering
- string 6 (E): muted
- string 5 (A): muted
- string 4 (D): fret 9 — ring finger
- string 3 (G): fret 8 — middle finger
- string 2 (B): fret 7 — index finger
- string 1 (E): fret 9 — little finger
Notes in this chord
- B
- D♯
- F♯
- C♯
Degrees: 1 – 3 – 5 – 9
How to play
Badd9 can be played with open strings on guitar, which makes it an accessible shape for beginners. Strings marked ○ ring open, while strings marked ✕ are muted.
Theory behind the chord
Add9 chords keep the full major triad and add the ninth without a seventh. The extra note widens the chord without making it sound jazzy, which is why it is everywhere in modern acoustic pop. On Badd9 this structure sits on the root B, so the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 – 9 map onto B, D#, F# and C#.
Frequently asked questions
- Which notes are in the Badd9 chord?
- Badd9 contains the notes B, D#, F# and C#. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 3 – 5 – 9.
- How many ways can you play Badd9?
- Minory lists a single guitar fingering for Badd9.
- Is the Badd9 chord hard to play?
- Badd9 requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.
Practise Badd9 on your phone
Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.

