Is C♯add9 a hard chord to play on guitar?

Yes — the easiest full voicing of C♯add9 needs a barre, which most beginners take a while to build the strength and accuracy for.

What's an easier chord that sounds like C♯add9?

Amaj7 is close — it shares 2 of 4 notes with C♯add9 and is a much easier open shape, though it isn't the identical chord.

Is C♯add9 the same as Dbadd9?

Yes — C♯add9 and Dbadd9 are two names for the same notes. This page uses C♯add9 as the more common guitar spelling.

C♯add9

C♯ added 9th · also written Dbadd9

C♯ · E♯ · G♯ · D♯

C♯ added 9th is generally considered a harder chord to play, since even its easiest full voicing needs a barre. There are 7 ways to play it below, plus a capo shortcut and an easier substitute for when the barre isn't there yet.

Click any shape to hear it played.

C♯add9

Every way to play it

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