F#add9 Guitar Chord
F# Add9 · also written Gbadd9 · F#–A#–C#–G#
F#add9 is the F# add9 chord: F#–A#–C#–G#. Its sound is colorful and modern — a plain triad sweetened with the 9th, all over 90s rock and acoustic pop. It's also written as Gbadd9 — same notes, same shapes, different spelling.
Unlike F#9, F#add9 skips the ♭7 and just stacks the 9th (G#) on the plain triad — color without jazz function. It shines on acoustic guitar where the 9th can ring against open strings, and it's the secret behind countless 90s alt-rock and worship progressions in F# and Db.
The most common way to play F#add9 is the add9 grip at the 2nd fret (2 x 4 3 2 4, low E string to high E string). Below you'll find 3 ways to play it across the neck, from open position to barre and shell voicings, with the theory behind the chord and the progressions it lives in.
How to Play F#add9: 3 Voicings
Frets are listed from the low E string to the high E string. x = don't play that string, 0 = open string.
F#add9 Chord Theory
| Interval | R | 3 | 5 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | F# | A# | C# | G# |
F#add9 is built from the F# major scale.
F#add9 Chord FAQ
What notes are in the F#add9 chord?
F#add9 contains 4 notes: F# (R), A# (3), C# (5), G# (9). The interval formula for a add9 chord is R–3–5–9.
What is the easiest way to play F#add9 on guitar?
Use the add9 grip at the 2nd fret: 2 x 4 3 2 4 (frets listed from the low E string to the high E string, x = don't play that string). F#add9 has no open-position shape in standard tuning, so this movable form is the standard starting point.
Is F#add9 a major or minor chord?
F#add9 is built on a major triad (F#–A#–C#) with the 9 added, so it behaves as a major-family chord.
Is F#add9 the same as Gbadd9?
Yes. F# and Gb are enharmonic equivalents — the same pitch written two ways. F#add9 and Gbadd9 use identical shapes and frets; which spelling you see depends on the key of the song.
What keys use the F#add9 chord?
F#add9 appears diatonically in F# major (as I), Db major (as IV), and B major (as V) — plus Eb minor, its relative minor key.
Related Chords
Hear yourself play F#add9
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