Jazz Piano MasterGet the app

Major

Add nine chords

Major triad plus 9th, no 7th: C-E-G-D. Formula: 1-3-5-9. Bright, open, modern sound.

In every key

The same shape, moved. The symbols below are spelled the way the app spells them, which is the spelling the chord's own scale asks for rather than whichever accidental is easier to type.

  • Cadd9
  • Dbadd9
  • Dadd9
  • Ebadd9
  • Eadd9
  • Fadd9
  • F#add9
  • Gadd9
  • Abadd9
  • Aadd9
  • Bbadd9
  • Badd9

Voicings

Written in C, because that is the key the encyclopedia authors them in; every one transposes unchanged.

Root Position

C · E · G · D

beginner

Octaves shown are the app's default ascending voicing.

Rootless Triad+9

E · G · D

intermediate

Cluster Add9

C · D · E · G

intermediate

Octaves shown are the app's default ascending voicing.

Tight cluster top voice

Where it turns up

Pop/jazz crossover. Common in contemporary jazz, fusion, and Brazilian music. Less harmonic 'pull' than Cmaj9.

Commonly swapped with

  • Cmaj7
  • C6/9

The PDF book

The Ultimate Jazz Piano Voicings and Chord Atlas

From shells to advanced voicings. A practice book first, with all the theory you need explained in plain words.

  • 7 levels of voicings for every ii‑V‑I chord, from shells to quartal and upper-structure color
  • A 30-day plan and a 12-week schedule, 15 minutes a day
  • A PDF you download and keep, no subscription

See inside the book