Iadd9–V

The Iadd9–V progression pairs the bright, open add9 tonic with the dominant chord, creating a simple two-chord motion with more color than a plain I–V. The ninth adds warmth and depth to the tonic without introducing seventh-chord complexity, making it ideal for singer-songwriter ballads and pop choruses where emotional directness is key.

Pattern: Iadd9 – V   Example in C Major: Cadd9 – G

Genre: pop, rock, ballad   Difficulty: beginner

Choose a Key

C Major Cadd9 – G G Major Gadd9 – D D Major Dadd9 – A A Major Aadd9 – E E Major Eadd9 – B B Major Badd9 – F♯ F♯ Major F♯add9 – C♯ F Major Fadd9 – C B♭ Major Bbadd9 – F E♭ Major Ebadd9 – B♭ A♭ Major Abadd9 – E♭ D♭ Major Dbadd9 – A♭

Song Examples

Related Progressions

I–V Iadd9–IVadd9 I–V–vi–IV