E9 pedal steel chord
Cm(add9) on pedal steel
C minor add 9 · 372 voicings on standard E9
Easiest Cm(add9) on E9 pedal steel: bar on fret 11, press A pedal, pick strings 2, 3, 4 & 5 (D–G–E♭–C).
- C, root
- E♭, flat 3rd
- G, 5th
- D, 9th
Where you’ll hear it: Minor with an added 9th — wistful, a ballad and modern-pop staple.
Start here: the grip to learn first
Every move is described by what it does to the strings, so these work on any E9 guitar. If your levers are wired differently, use the one that makes the same change.
Fret 11 · A pedal
Easiest- Bar on fret 11 (or 23)
- Press the A pedal (B→C♯)
- Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 — D G E♭ C
More grips up the neck
Mid neck · frets 5–12
Fret 11 · no pedals
- Bar on fret 11 (or 23)
- No pedals or levers
- Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 — D G E♭
- No root — the bass covers C.
Fret 11 · A pedal + E→E♭ lever + D♯→E lever
- Bar on fret 11 (or 23)
- Press the A pedal (B→C♯)
- Push the E→E♭ lever — left knee, pushing right (LKR) on most guitars
- Push a lever that raises string 2 (D♯→E) — not on every guitar; right knee, pushing left (RKL) on most newer guitars
- Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 — E♭ G D C
- Needs a lever that raises string 2 (D♯→E) — not on every guitar.
Fret 11 · E→E♭ lever + F♯→G♯ + D♯→E lever
- Bar on fret 11 (or 23)
- Push the E→E♭ lever — left knee, pushing right (LKR) on most guitars
- Push a lever that raises strings 1 (F♯→G♯) & 2 (D♯→E) — not on every guitar; right knee, pushing left (RKL) on most newer guitars
- Pick strings 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 — G E♭ G D
- No root — the bass covers C.
- Needs a lever that raises strings 1 (F♯→G♯) & 2 (D♯→E) — not on every guitar.
High neck · frets 10–17
Fret 10 · B pedal + E→F lever + D♯→E lever
- Bar on fret 10 (or 22)
- Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
- Push the E→F lever — left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
- Push a lever that raises string 2 (D♯→E) — not on every guitar; right knee, pushing left (RKL) on most newer guitars
- Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 — D G E♭
- No root — the bass covers C.
- Needs a lever that raises string 2 (D♯→E) — not on every guitar.
Is your guitar set up differently?
Players wire their knee levers in different places, so this page names every change by what it does. Find the pedal or lever on your guitar that makes the same change — the name on yours doesn’t matter.
| Change | What it does · usually found |
|---|---|
| A pedalB→C♯ | Raises your B strings (5 & 10) a whole step to C♯.Usually: the A pedal on almost every E9 guitar |
| B pedalG♯→A | Raises your G♯ strings (3 & 6) a half step to A.Usually: the B pedal on almost every E9 guitar |
| E→F leverE→F | Raises your E strings (4 & 8) a half step to F.Usually: left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars |
| E→E♭ leverE→E♭ | Lowers your E strings (4 & 8) a half step to E♭.Usually: left knee, pushing right (LKR) on most guitars |
| F♯ & D♯ raise leverF♯→G♯ + D♯→E + G♯→F♯ | Raises string 1 (F♯) a whole step to G♯ and string 2 (D♯) a half step to E, and lowers string 6 (G♯) a whole step to F♯.Usually: right knee, pushing left (RKL) on most newer guitarsNot on every guitarOlder and student guitars often raise strings 1 & 7 F♯→G instead, and some players keep the 6th-string lower on another lever. |
Pick your setup in Pedal Steel Atlas (it's free) — one of the built-in copedents, or your own exact one — and it re-voices every chord for your pedals and levers — open Cm(add9) in the app → or compare common setups.
How to read the diagrams
- Diamond = the root (the note the chord is named after). Other notes are colored by their job in the chord, like the chips above.
- Blue string = a pedal or lever changes it. The label on the left shows the new note (E→F).
- Dashed line = the bar. Lay the steel directly over that fret, not between frets.
- Colored pedal or lever = press it. String 1 is the one farthest from you; string 10 is nearest.
Keep exploring
Pedal Steel Atlas
Every Cm(add9) voicing — on your guitar
- Your setup. Pick a built-in copedent — or build your exact one, free — and every chord re-voices for your guitar.
- Real steel tone. Hear every grip and the pedal moves between them.
- Find the one you need. Filter by top note, bass string, or the changes you want to avoid.
- From chord to tab. Drop any grip into a tab and play it back.