Abaug9

Abaug9 is Ab, C, E, Gb and Bb, a augmented ninth. The shape this page opens on is written 212112, lowest string first.

Also written Ab9#5, Ab+9 or Ab9(#5). The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 8 common shapes for Abaug9 on the guitar, and 20 derived voicings in 3 families.

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 212112, 434350, 4x4556, xx4556, 898998, x-11-10-11-11-0, x-11-10-11-11-12, 14-13-14-13-13-14.

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. Abaug9 has 4343xx, xx6576, x-11-10-11-11-x, 4x455x, x-11-x-11-13-12.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Abaug9 has xx2312, x3435x, xx4556, xx8978, x-9-10-9-11-x, x-x-10-11-11-12, x-x-14-15-13-14, x3x352.

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. Abaug9 has 070576, 0x6576.

Tensions. A shell of Abaug9, 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.