Abmaj13

Abmaj13 is Ab, C, Eb, G, Bb and F, a major thirteenth. The shape this page opens on is written 433343, lowest string first.

Also written AbM13, AbΔ13 or Ab major 13. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 6 common shapes for Abmaj13 on the guitar, and 52 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of Abmaj13 belongs to C minor (the ♭VI), Eb major (the IV), F minor (the ♭III) and Ab major (the I).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 433343, 445564, x86688, x-11-10-10-8-8, x-11-8-10-8-8, x-11-11-12-13-13.

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. Abmaj13 has 4x556x, x-11-x-12-13-13.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Abmaj13 has xx3113, 3331xx, xx5564, x-10-10-10-9-x, x-x-15-13-13-15, 15-15-15-13-x-x, 4855xx, x8658x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Abmaj13 has 3x311x, x8x584, 4x556x, 8-x-6-10-8-x, x-10-x-10-9-8, 13-x-10-12-9-x, x-11-x-12-13-13, 15-x-15-13-13-x.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Abmaj13 has xx3313, x1301x, xx1011, xx3543, x3304x, xx5566, x6556x, x-x-8-10-8-8.

Tensions. A shell of Abmaj13, 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.