Abm69

Abm69 is Ab, Cb, Eb, F and Bb, a minor six-nine. The shape this page opens on is written 4233xx, lowest string first.

Also written Abm6/9, Abmin6/9 or Ab-6/9. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 8 common shapes for Abm69 on the guitar, and 38 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of Abm69 belongs to Eb minor (the iv) and F# major (the ii).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 4233xx, x23344, 4x3446, 4x6466, xx6466, x66466, 766866, x-11-9-10-11-x.

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. Abm69 has 4233xx, xx6466, x-11-9-10-11-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Abm69 has x1310x, 4233xx, xx3304, xx6466, x-11-9-10-11-x, x2636x, 6864xx, 7-11-8-10-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. Abm69 has x1x101, x2x364, 4x330x, 6x646x, x-11-x-10-11-7, 7-x-8-10-9-x, 13-x-9-13-11-x, x-13-x-13-12-13.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Abm69 has xx1301, x2334x, xx8867, x-x-9-10-11-11, x2x341, xx3446, x6x466, x6846x.

Tensions. A shell of Abm69, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are 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.