Dadd9 chord on piano
Dadd9 is D, F♯, A and E. D sits between the two black keys. Tap Play, then slow it down.
root position · D–F♯–A–E · right hand 1-2-3-5
- Notes
- D · F♯ · A · E
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5 · 9
How to play Dadd9 on piano
Count keys (black and white) from D: 4 half steps up to F♯, 3 half steps up to A then 7 half steps up to E. Press the 4 keys together and that's Dadd9.
- Right hand: 1 on D, 2 on F♯, 3 on A and 5 on E.
- Left hand: 5 on D, 3 on F♯, 2 on A and 1 on E.
- On the keyboard it's white, black, white and white keys, the same pattern as Aadd9, so your hand shape carries over.
Two ways to voice Dadd9
- root position: D–F♯–A–E. Right hand 1-2-3-5.
- close voicing: D–E–F♯–A. Right hand 1-2-3-5.
The close voicing folds the ninth down next to the root, which fits under one hand; the spread voicing sounds wider.
Moving between Dadd9 and its neighbours
The chords Dadd9 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- G (IV in D major): Dadd9 to G: play G in 2nd inversion (D–G–B) and D stays under the same finger, while F♯ moves up to G and A up to B. G on piano
- A (V in D major): Dadd9 to A: play A in root position (A–C♯–E) and A and E stay under the same fingers, while F♯ moves up to C♯. A on piano
- Bm (vi in D major): Dadd9 to Bm: play Bm in 1st inversion (D–F♯–B) and D and F♯ stay under the same fingers, while A moves up to B. Bm on piano
Dadd9 is D major with the ninth (the note a whole step above the root, an octave up) added. Dadd9 keeps the major sound and adds sparkle, which makes it a drop-in replacement for D in quiet passages. The one-by-one button above makes that quality easy to hear.
Practice Dadd9 in two minutes
Play Dadd9 broken, one key at a time: D, F♯, A, E, A, F♯, D. Then press the keys together and check that all 4 sound at the same volume.
The keys of Dadd9
Dadd9 is a add 9 chord, 1–3–5–9 from D. Root position, from the bottom: how Dadd9 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| F♯ | black key | RH 2 · LH 3 | major third |
| A | white key | RH 3 · LH 2 | perfect fifth |
| E | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | ninth |
Where Dadd9 shows up
Dadd9 on guitar and ukulele
The same notes on another instrument: Dadd9 on guitar and Dadd9 on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.
Next to try on piano
Other add 9 chords
Dadd9 on piano: questions
What notes are in Dadd9 on piano?
D, F♯, A and E: D (white key), F♯ (black key), A (white key) and E (white key). Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
How do you play Dadd9 on piano?
Press D, F♯, A and E together (1 black, 3 white). Right hand: 1 on D, 2 on F♯, 3 on A and 5 on E.
What are the inversions of Dadd9?
Dadd9 is usually played in root position (D–F♯–A–E) or as a close voicing (D–E–F♯–A).
What does Dadd9 look like on the keyboard?
white, black, white and white keys, the same pattern as Aadd9, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Every shape above plays only D, F♯, A and E, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.