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Bass chord companion

Eb Add 9 Chord

Learn the Eb Add 9 chord on bass with chord tones, intervals, playable arpeggios, and fretboard maps.

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1Eb3G5Bb9F

Bass chord tones and arpeggios

Play these tones one at a time to outline the chord. The maps show the complete formula; the numbered exercises give an ascending path, including extensions in their written octave.

Standard four-string bass: E1 – A1 – D2 – G2. String 4 is low E; string 1 is high G. Fingers 1–4 are index through little finger; 0 is open. Use comfortable hand positions and shift where indicated.

Root on E string

Eb Add 9 complete chord-tone map around string 4, fret 11. Choose individual tones for a bass line.

Eb Add 9 Root on E string bass chord-tone mapEb Add 9 complete chord-tone map around string 4, fret 11. Choose individual tones for a bass line.EADG10111213141935193

Ascending arpeggio

Follow steps 1–4 below. Keep one hand position.

Eb Add 9 Root on E string numbered bass arpeggioAscending complete formula: Eb2, G2, Bb2, F3. Play one numbered note at a time.EADG8910111234
StepDegreeNoteString / fretFingerPosition
11Eb24 / 114Fret 8
23G23 / 103Fret 8
35Bb22 / 81Fret 8
49F31 / 103Fret 8

Root on A string

Eb Add 9 complete chord-tone map around string 3, fret 6. Choose individual tones for a bass line.

Eb Add 9 Root on A string bass chord-tone mapEb Add 9 complete chord-tone map around string 3, fret 6. Choose individual tones for a bass line.EADG56789519351

Ascending arpeggio

Follow steps 1–4 below. This path uses 1 marked position shift.

Eb Add 9 Root on A string numbered bass arpeggioAscending complete formula: Eb2, G2, Bb2, F3. Play one numbered note at a time.EADG6789101234
StepDegreeNoteString / fretFingerPosition
11Eb23 / 61Fret 6
23G23 / 104Shift to 7
35Bb22 / 82Fret 7
49F31 / 104Fret 7

Full fretboard map

Every Eb Add 9 Chord chord tone across the neck, with roots highlighted for quick orientation.

Interactive

Frets 0–24. Select a position or tap a note to hear it.

GDAEFGBbEbFGBbEbBbEbFGBbEbFGEbFGBbEbFGBbBbEbFGBbEbFG123456789101112131415161718192021222324

Progression examples using Eb Add 9

Try these progressions to hear the harmony in context. On bass, outline each chord with individual target tones.

Chord Tones

DegreeIntervalNote
1RootEb
3M3G
5P5Bb
9M9F

Complete Formula

1 – 3 – 5 – 9

Compound degrees retain their names: 9, 11, and 13 are extensions. A voicing may place their pitches in a closer register.

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