C9 vs C7add9 clarification

Leeacoustic81 · Post by **Leeacoustic81** » Thu Apr 09, 2026 8:15 am

Just wondering if a C9 is the same as a C7add9?

BluesGuy · Post by **BluesGuy** » Thu Apr 09, 2026 1:23 pm

39 years as a professional musician. I’ve never seen “X”7add9 as a chord symbol. EVER. Don’t use it.

StudioPro · Post by **StudioPro** » Fri Apr 10, 2026 7:25 am

Yes, but C7add9 is NOT standard, it defeats the whole point of "add", dont use it... since C9 is for C E G Bb D, when you want C E G D only, that's why we have the "add" thing, to separate it from the 7-ness.

MetalPlayer · Post by **MetalPlayer** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 8:16 am

Yes, but don't call it C7add9 because it's too easy to mistake for Cadd9. Just C9 is always understood to mean root, third, fifth, seventh, ninth. You can leave out the fifth, but if you leave out the seventh it's called Cadd9.