A♭add9 chord on ukulele

A♭add9 is A♭, C, E♭ and B♭. The usual shape is 3-3-4-3. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

3-3-4-3 · movable · medium

Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · B♭
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · 9
First shape: 3-3-4-3

How to play A♭add9 on ukulele

Shape 1, 3-3-4-3, reading from the G string on the left, starts at the 3rd fret:

Index finger: G string, 3rd fret (B♭).
Middle finger: C string, 3rd fret (E♭).
Ring finger: A string, 3rd fret (C).
Pinky: E string, 4th fret (A♭).

This shape uses your pinky. It feels weak at first; press with the tip and let the finger stay curved.
On ukulele you strum all four strings. The top G string is tuned higher than the C, which is why ukulele chords sound bright and close.

Other ways to play A♭add9

8-10-8-11: movable shape at the 8th fret, medium. A high voicing for when the low version is taken by another instrument.

A♭add9 chord changes

The chords A♭add9 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

C♯ (IV in A♭ major): A♭add9 (3-3-4-3) to C♯ (6-5-4-4): the index finger goes to the E string, 4th fret, move the middle finger to the A string, 4th fret, your ring finger lands on the C string, 5th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. Listen for A♭, which stays put while the rest moves. C♯ on ukulele
E♭ (V in A♭ major): A♭add9 (3-3-4-3) to E♭ (0-3-3-1): your middle finger stays put, move the index finger to the A string, 1st fret, the ring finger slides across to the E string at the same fret. The two chords share E♭ and B♭, which is why the change sounds smooth. E♭ on ukulele
Fm (vi in A♭ major): A♭add9 (3-3-4-3) to Fm (1-0-1-3): your ring finger stays put, your index finger lands on the G string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the E string, 1st fret. A♭ and C carry over from one chord to the other. Fm on ukulele

A♭add9 is A♭ major with the ninth (the note a whole step above the root, an octave up) added. All 4 notes of A♭add9 fit on the ukulele's four strings. Play it once strummed and once picked to hear the difference.

A short A♭add9 drill

Before strumming, play 3-3-4-3 note by note: B♭ then E♭ then A♭ then C. A dead note tells you exactly which finger to fix. Then switch to 8-10-8-11 and back four times without looking at your hand.

You may also see it as G♯add9; nothing changes on the ukulele.

A♭add9 in context

A♭add9 on guitar and piano

Switching instruments? Try A♭add9 on piano or A♭add9 on guitar, or compare them on the A♭add9 chord page.

Close to A♭add9

Other add 9 chords

A♭add9 on ukulele: questions

What notes are in A♭add9 on ukulele?

A♭, C, E♭ and B♭. In the 3-3-4-3 shape the strings play B♭ (G string), E♭ (C string), A♭ (E string) and C (A string).

What's the easiest way to play A♭add9 on ukulele?

In standard tuning A♭add9 can't use open strings. Begin with 3-3-4-3. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and in many songs a capo can take over part of the work.

Is A♭add9 a barre chord on ukulele?

Not the usual shape: 3-3-4-3 needs no barre.

Which string does A♭add9 start on?

In the 3-3-4-3 shape the lowest string you play is the G string at the 3rd fret, which is B♭, the ninth.

Every shape above plays only A♭, C, E♭ and B♭, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.