Aaug9

Aaug9 is A, C#, E#, G and B, a augmented ninth. The shape this page opens on is written 323223, lowest string first.

Also written A9#5, A+9 or A9(#5). The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 11 common shapes for Aaug9 on the guitar, and 24 derived voicings in 3 families.

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 323223, x03423, 543005, 54546x, x05667, 5x5667, xx5667, 9-10-9-10-10-9, x-12-11-12-0-13, x-12-11-12-12-13, 15-14-15-14-14-15.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. Aaug9 has 5454xx, x0566x, xx7687, x-12-11-12-12-x, x0x021, 5x566x, x-12-x-12-14-13, x0x027.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Aaug9 has x2302x, xx3423, x4546x, xx5667, x-x-9-10-8-9, x-10-11-10-12-x, x-x-11-12-12-13, x2x021.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. Aaug9 has x03423, x4300x.

Tensions. A shell of Aaug9, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the #11 (D#).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.