Abm9

Abm9 is Ab, Cb, Eb, Gb and Bb, a minor ninth. The shape this page opens on is written 411102, lowest string first.

Also written Abmin9, Ab-9 or Ab minor 9. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 8 common shapes for Abm9 on the guitar, and 37 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of Abm9 belongs to Eb minor (the iv), F# major (the ii), Ab minor (the i) and B major (the vi).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 411102, 42x342, x24344, 464446, 798897, x-11-9-11-11-x, x-13-13-13-12-14, x-x-13-15-12-14.

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. Abm9 has 4243xx, x-11-9-11-11-x, xx6476.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Abm9 has 4243xx, xx4304, x-11-9-11-11-x, x1410x, xx6476, 7-11-8-11-x-x, x-x-8-11-9-7, x2637x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Abm9 has x1x102, 4x430x, 6x647x, x-11-x-11-11-7, 7-x-8-11-9-x, x-13-x-13-12-14, x2x374, x9x496.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Abm9 has xx1302, x2434x, xx4446, xx8877, x-x-9-11-11-11, x-13-13-11-12-x, x2x342, x6x476.

Tensions. A shell of Abm9, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 11 (Db) and the 13 (F).

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