Fadd9 chord on piano
Fadd9 is F, A, C and G. F is the white key just left of the group of three black keys. Hit Play and watch each key light as it sounds.
root position · F–A–C–G · right hand 1-2-3-5
- Notes
- F · A · C · G
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5 · 9
How to play Fadd9 on piano
Start on F, count 4 half steps up to A, 3 half steps up to C then 7 half steps up to G. Press the 4 keys together and that's Fadd9.
- Right hand: 1 on F, 2 on A, 3 on C and 5 on G.
- Left hand: 5 on F, 3 on A, 2 on C and 1 on G.
- On the keyboard it's white, white, white and white keys, the same pattern as Cadd9 and Gadd9, so your hand shape carries over.
Two ways to voice Fadd9
- root position: F–A–C–G. Fingers 1-2-3-5.
- close voicing: F–G–A–C. Fingers 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.
Changing from Fadd9 to the chords around it
Songs rarely hold Fadd9 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.
- B♭ (IV in F major): Fadd9 to B♭: play B♭ in 2nd inversion (F–B♭–D) and F stays under the same finger, while A moves up to B♭ and C up to D. B♭ on piano
- C (V in F major): Fadd9 to C: play C in root position (C–E–G) and C and G stay under the same fingers, while A moves up to E. C on piano
- Dm (vi in F major): Fadd9 to Dm: play Dm in 1st inversion (F–A–D) and F and A stay under the same fingers, while C moves up to D. Dm on piano
Fadd9 is F major with the ninth (the note a whole step above the root, an octave up) added. Fadd9 keeps the major sound and adds sparkle, which makes it a drop-in replacement for F in quiet passages. Play it solid and then broken to hear the difference.
A short Fadd9 drill
Roll the chord up and back down, F, A, C, G, C, A, F, before playing it as a block.
The keys of Fadd9
Fadd9 is a add 9 chord, 1–3–5–9 from F. Root position, from the bottom: how Fadd9 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| A | white key | RH 2 · LH 3 | major third |
| C | white key | RH 3 · LH 2 | perfect fifth |
| G | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | ninth |
Keys and progressions with Fadd9
Fadd9 on guitar and ukulele
Fadd9 on guitar and ukulele uses the same 4 notes in a different layout. See all three together.
Close to Fadd9
Other add 9 chords
Fadd9 on piano: questions
What notes are in Fadd9 on piano?
F, A, C and G: F (white key), A (white key), C (white key) and G (white key). Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.
How do you play Fadd9 on piano?
Press F, A, C and G together, all white keys. Right hand: 1 on F, 2 on A, 3 on C and 5 on G.
What are the inversions of Fadd9?
Fadd9 is usually played in root position (F–A–C–G) or as a close voicing (F–G–A–C).
What does Fadd9 look like on the keyboard?
white, white, white and white keys, the same pattern as Cadd9 and Gadd9, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Every shape above plays only F, A, C and G, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.