Add2 chords

The add2 chord is very similar to the add9 chord; the added notes are in fact the same, but the difference is that the added 2nd and the added 9th belong to different octaves. A common major chord includes the first, the third and the fifth degrees in its scale. By adding the second note, you get an add2 chord.

So if C major is used as an example, what happen is that C, E and G changes to C, D, E and G.

Add2

Cadd2

  • Cadd2 chord diagram X32033

Dadd2

  • Dadd2 chord diagram X54X55

Eadd2

  • Eadd2 chord diagram 024100

Fadd2

  • Fadd2 chord diagram XX3213

Gadd2

  • Gadd2 chord diagram

Aadd2

  • Aadd2 chord diagram

Badd2

  • Badd2 chord diagram

Comments

Notice that sometimes the exact same fingerings are used for add9 chords as in the above charts. The ambition is to present two different chords with the correct order of notes, but you will be okay if you use an Aadd2 chord instead of Add9 and vice versa.

To explain the difference between these, we could compare Eadd2 with Eadd9. The added note is in this case F#. In Eadd2, the F# is played as the third tone when strumming downstrokes. In Eadd9 the F# tone is played as the last tone when strumming downstrokes. The difference is small, you can hear some change in the timbre, but if you feel you don't want to memorize both shapes it's alright to use the same shape in all situations when any Eadd chord is indicated.

Sometimes these chords are just referred to with the number two in the chord name, as C2, D2, E2, F2, G2, A2, B2 and so on.

The Badd2 chord has no easy fingering. An alternative to the pictured chord is X2464X. Dadd2 can also be played as XX4230 (Dadd2/F#). Gadd2 can also be played as 300003 and 320203.

Chord progressions

A quite common sequence comes from varying Cadd2 with a G major. You could when for example add a D major and you get something like this (used in the Green Day song "Time of Your life"):

G – Cadd2 – D

More progressions, including add2 chords:

Cmaj7 - Cadd2 – Fadd2

Cmaj7 - Gadd2 – Fmaj7

Cadd2 – Em7 – Dsus4

Aadd2 – D – Dsus4 – Gadd2

A – D6/A (X0443X) – Dm6 (X0343X – Aadd2

Eadd2 – F#m11 – G#m7#5 – E6sus4 (see tab)

tab chord progression

Added 2nd chord inversions

An add 2nd chord is possible to play in numerous configurations including three inversions.

Cadd2 can be used as an example:

  • C - D - E - G (root position)
  • D - C - E - G (1st inversion)
  • E - G - C - D (2nd inversion)
  • G - C - D - E (3rd inversion)

The first inversion of the Cadd2 chord is written Cadd2/D, the second is written Cadd2/E and the third is written Cadd2/G. Some fingerings examples follow below in short notation:

Cadd2/D: XX0553
Cadd2/E: 032010
Cadd2/G: 330010
Dadd2/F#: 200230
Dadd2/E: 000252
Eadd2/B: X22102
Eadd2/A: X02102
Fadd2/A: X03213
Fadd2/E: 003213
Gadd2/A: X0000X
Gadd2/B: X20203
Aadd2/C#: X42200
Aadd2/E: X02420
Badd2/D#: X6442X
Badd2/E: 044440

Add4 chords

Existing, but quite uncommon is the related add4. These could also be identical with sus4 chords.

Some examples in short notation:
Dadd4: X54035
D6add4: X5400X
Bm(add4): X24430



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