Abmaj9

Abmaj9 is Ab, C, Eb, G and Bb, a major ninth. The shape this page opens on is written x11113, lowest string first.

Also written AbM9, AbΔ9, Abma9 or Ab major 9. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 11 common shapes for Abmaj9 on the guitar, and 38 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of Abmaj9 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: x11113, xx1313, 411113, 435343, 465546, xx5546, xx6586, 866886, x-11-8-8-8-8, x-11-10-12-11-x, 11-11-10-12-11-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. Abmaj9 has 4353xx, x-11-10-12-11-x, xx6586.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Abmaj9 has 4353xx, x-11-10-12-11-x, x1511x, xx5314, xx6586, 8-11-8-12-x-x, x-x-8-12-9-8, x3638x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Abmaj9 has x1x113, 4x531x, 6x658x, x-11-x-12-11-8, 8-x-8-12-9-x, x-13-x-13-13-15, x3x384, x-10-x-5-9-6.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Abmaj9 has x1101x, xx1313, x3534x, xx5546, xx8888, x-x-10-12-11-11, x-13-13-12-13-x, x-x-13-15-13-15.

Tensions. A shell of Abmaj9, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the #11 (D) 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.