Eadd9 chord on guitar

Eadd9 is E, G♯, B and F♯. The usual shape is 0-2-4-1-0-0. Hit Play and watch each string light as it sounds.

How to play Eadd9 on guitar

Shape 1, 0-2-4-1-0-0, reading from the low E string on the left:

1. Put your index finger on the G string at the 1st fret, which is G♯.
2. Put your middle finger on the A string at the 2nd fret, which is B.
3. Put your ring finger on the D string at the 4th fret, which is F♯.
4. The open low E, B and high E strings add E, B and E; don't touch them.

• If an open string sounds dead, a fingertip is leaning on it. Come down more on the tips, with your knuckles bent.
• The shape stretches across four frets. Bring your thumb lower behind the neck to open the hand up.

Other ways to play Eadd9

• x-7-6-4-7-x: movable shape at the 4th fret, medium. The root is on the A string; it's the Aadd9 shape moved up the neck.
• 12-9-9-11-9-12: partial barre shape at the 9th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.
• x-x-14-13-12-14: movable shape at the 12th fret, medium. Fewer strings, so it sounds lighter and is quicker to change to.

Playing Eadd9 with a capo

No barre needed if a capo is allowed: capo on the 4th fret and play the open Cadd9 shape (x-3-2-0-3-0). The chord sounds as Eadd9 because the capo raises every string by 4 half steps.

Moving between Eadd9 and its neighbours

Songs rarely hold Eadd9 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

• A (IV in E major): Eadd9 (0-2-4-1-0-0) to A (x-0-2-2-2-0): your index finger lands on the D string, 2nd fret, move the middle finger to the G string, 2nd fret, the ring finger goes to the B string, 2nd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Listen for E, which stays put while the rest moves. A on guitar
• B (V in E major): Eadd9 (0-2-4-1-0-0) to B (x-2-4-4-4-2): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 2nd fret, your middle finger lands on the D string, 4th fret, the ring finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, the pinky finger comes down on the B string, 4th fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. The two chords share B and F♯, which is why the change sounds smooth. B on guitar
• C♯m (vi in E major): Eadd9 (0-2-4-1-0-0) to C♯m (x-4-6-6-5-4): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 4th fret, the middle finger goes to the B string, 5th fret, move the ring finger to the D string, 6th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the G string, 6th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. Shared notes: E and G♯. C♯m on guitar

Eadd9 is E major with the ninth (the note a whole step above the root, an octave up) added. Eadd9 keeps the major sound and adds sparkle, which makes it a drop-in replacement for E in quiet passages. Play it once strummed and once picked to hear the difference.

A short Eadd9 drill

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: E, B, F♯, G♯, B, E. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Then switch to x-7-6-4-7-x and back four times without looking at your hand.

Keys and progressions with Eadd9

Eadd9 on piano and ukulele

Switching instruments? Try Eadd9 on ukulele or Eadd9 on piano, or compare them on the Eadd9 chord page.

Next to try on guitar

• E
• E9
• Esus2
• Emaj7

Other add 9 chords

• Cadd9
• C♯add9
• Dadd9
• E♭add9
• Fadd9
• F♯add9
• Gadd9
• A♭add9
• Aadd9
• B♭add9
• Badd9

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Eadd9. Updated September 2026. Print this chord