Add9 Chords

They are standard major triad chords (1-3-5) with the 9th (2nd) tone of the scale added. Using the standard moveable C-A-G-E-D chord forms everyone learns early on, I think these adjustments will give you add9 voicings:

C form - raise 2nd string two frets

A form - drop 2nd string two frets (play open)- I remember this as the Townsend chord due to how it resolves in Behind Blue Eyes (play at end of verses such as "to telling only lies")

G form - raise third string 2 frets

E form - raise 4th string 2 frets - the Prince chord. He actually uses three add9s in Purple Rain. The verse progression is Aadd9-F#m11 (6th-2nd fret ,5th-open, 4th-2fret, 3rd-2nd fret, 2nd -open, 1st-open)-Eadd9-Dadd9 (the one with the 1st string open). FYI, as part of an acoustic set, this is a great tune for getting the bar crowd singing the chorus with you!

D form - Raise 4th string 2 frets, or drop the 1st string two frets (play open), or raise 2nd string 2 frets. You may have to barre across the bottom 3 depending on your reach on the last one.

The add9s also sound great in ii-V-I progressions as the I chords because they resolve so strongly.

As the label indicates, the add9 chord is a major chord with a 9th added. It is a four note chord, as opposed to the proper 9-chord, which is a five note chord. An add9 has the notes 1-3-5-9, while the 9-chord has 1-3-5-b7-9. A Cadd9 has C-E-G-D, while a C9 has C-E-G-Bb-D. The b7 note makes a huge difference, as it together with the 3 constitutes the important tritone in the 7th chord. The add9 is a sweet sounding chord, while the 9-chord is dissonant and drives the harmony towards a solution.
You do not need very advanced mathematical skills to see that 8+1=9, and that the D in a C-major scale could be labeled as a 2 rather than as a 9. For a proper 9-chord, the reason is that it is an extended 7th chord. But this is not the case for the add9, and I cannot give any good reasons for why this is the most common way of labeling the chord. And having said that, you might see the chord labeled as either a 2 chord, or add2 chord.

Labels: bowie, guitar

Quicksand by David Bowie - Acoustic Guitar Chords/Tab

QUICKSAND from Hunky Dory 
 
 
INTRO:  G  Am7  G  Am7  G  Am7  G  Am7
 
 
    C
I'm closer to the golden dawn 
                                 G        Gsus4  G
Immersed in Crowley's uniform of imagery
    C
I'm living in a silent film
                                       G
Portraying Himmler's sacred realm of dream reality
    Eb 
I'm frightened by the total goal
F*
Drawing to the ragged hole
      G             Em        C
And I ain't got the power any more
                             G    Am7  Am7add9  Am7add9*  A
no I ain't got the power any more
 
 
        D
I'm the twisted name on Garbo's eyes
                                    A       Asus4  A
Living proof of Churchills lies I'm destiny
    D
I'm torn between the light and dark
                                     A        Asus4  A
Where others see their target divine symmetry
F
Should I kiss the vipers fang
   G
Or herald loud the death of man?
    A              F#m7      Em7   D
I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thoughts
                              A    Asus4  A
And I ain't got the power any more
 
 
CHORUS 1:
A         E7         F#m7
Don't believe in yourself
         D#dim        E
Don't deceive with belief
          Edim                 Bm7
Knowledge comes with deaths release
   Fdim  A
Ah ah ah ah
   F#m7  E6 E
Ah ah ah ah ah
 
 
    D
I'm not a prophet or a stoneage man
                                              A
Just a mortal with potential of a superman I'm living on
    D
I'm tethered to the logic of homo sapien
                                               A
Can't take my eyes from the great salvation of bullshit faith
     F
If I don't explain what you ought to know 
        G
You can tell me all about it in the next bardot
    A              F#m7      Em7   D
I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thoughts
                              A    Asus4  A  Asus4  A
And I ain't got the power any more
 
 
CHORUS 2 and 3 
 
CHORUS 4 - No vocals
 
-----------------------------------------
INTRO: The notes that double the chords are just 'G' and 'A' They're played on 
some sort of vibe. 
 
Ain't got the power...bit: You know, the bit where the guitar strums heavy and 
then plays harmonics at the fifth fret. In case you don't know, harmonics are 
achieved by holding your finger gently on the string directly above the fret, 
and sort of pulling it away as you play the note! (easier said than done 
probably!) 
-----------------------------------------
CHORDS:  EADGBE
         ------
G        320033
Eb       XXX343
Am7      X02213
Gsus4    320013
Am7add9* X02003
C        332010
Em       022000
Em7      020000
Am7add9  X02203
F*       XXX565
F        133211
E7       020100
Fdim     XX3434
D#dim    XX1212
A        X02220
E        022100
Edim     XX2323
Asus4    X02230
D        XX0232
E6       022120
Bm7      X24232
F#m7     242222

Labels: bowie, guitar