Eadd2

What Is This Chord?

The add 2 chord takes a standard major triad and adds the major second (2 semitones above the root) without removing the third. Eadd2 uses E, F#, Ab, B. This creates four-note harmony: root, second (F#), major third, and perfect fifth (Ab). The second and the third, sitting just one semitone apart, create mild dissonance — but because the chord has a clear major third, it retains its bright, stable quality. The add 2 differs from the add 9 in register (second vs. ninth) and from sus2 in keeping the third. It is most common in pop and indie writing where simple but colorful harmony is desired.

How It Is Built

Formula: 1 – 2 – 3 – 5

Musical Meaning

Major chords are the bright foundation of Western harmony — stable, resolved, and immediately recognizable. Their structure (root, major third, perfect fifth) creates a sound that feels complete and confident, like a musical declaration of "yes."

Sounds Like This

🌿 Other bright sounds to explore

Practice Tips

Add 2 keeps both the second and the third (unlike sus2 which replaces the third). This creates mild but pleasing dissonance between the second and third. Voice them a third apart rather than directly adjacent for the smoothest sound. The add2 can subtly brighten any major chord without significantly changing its harmonic function.

Practical Uses

• Adds texture to a plain major chord without changing its function
• I chord color in contemporary pop and indie guitar/piano writing
• Creates a brighter, more open sound than a plain major triad
• Works well under a melody that sits on the 2nd or 3rd scale degree

Common Progressions

In Harmonic Context

In the key of E major, Eadd2 is the I chord — the tonic and point of rest. It also appears as the IV chord in B major and as the V chord in A major, where it drives forward toward resolution.

Related Chords

Related Scales

Scales that naturally contain the Eadd2 chord:

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