G♯ added 9th chord

Playing it

On guitar, the usual G♯add9 shape is xx6546 at the 4th fret. It has no open strings, so it’s a movable shape — slide it along the neck for other added 9th chords. Don’t strum the low E and A strings.

On piano, G♯add9 has three black keys (G♯, D♯ and A♯) and one white key. In root position it spans more than an octave, so many pianists play the root with the left hand and the rest with the right.

On ukulele the usual G♯add9 shape is 3343, using four fingers.

Related chords

Move a single note and G♯add9 becomes a different chord: drop the A♯ for G♯, swap A♯ for F♯ for G♯7, swap A♯ for F𝄪 for G♯maj7 and drop the B♯ for G♯sus2.

Where you’ll hear it

Notice the B♯ in G♯add9 (G♯ B♯ D♯ A♯): each note of the chord takes its own letter (G–B–D–A), so the major 3rd has to be written B♯ rather than C — the same key on a piano, spelled to fit the chord.