Abm6

Abm6 is Ab, Cb, Eb and F, a minor sixth. The shape this page opens on is written 4x3444, lowest string first.

Also written Abmin6, Ab-6 or Ab minor 6. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 8 common shapes for Abm6 on the guitar, and 28 derived voicings in 3 families.

In which keys. Every note of Abm6 belongs to Eb minor (the iv) and F# major (the ii).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 4x3444, x2314x, 466464, xx6867, x-11-9-10-9-11, x-11-13-10-12-x, x-11-13-x-12-13, x-x-13-13-12-13.

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. Abm6 has 423xxx, x-11-9-10-x-x, 4x34xx, x-11-x-10-12-x, 489xxx.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Abm6 has xx1101, 1211xx, xx3444, x6646x, xx6867, 7868xx, x8989x, 11-11-9-10-x-x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Abm6 has x2x141, 1x110x, 4x344x, x6x464, 7x686x, x8x897, 11-x-9-10-9-x, x-11-x-10-12-11.

Tensions. A shell of Abm6, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 9 (Bb) and the 11 (Db).

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