Caug9

Caug9 is C, E, G#, Bb and D, a augmented ninth. The shape this page opens on is written x32334, lowest string first.

Also written C9#5, C+9 or C9(#5). The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 7 common shapes for Caug9 on the guitar, and 21 derived voicings in 3 families.

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x32334, x30354, 656556, 87879x, 8-x-8-9-9-10, x-x-8-9-9-10, 12-13-12-13-13-12.

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. Caug9 has x3233x, 8787xx, x-x-10-9-11-10, x-15-14-15-15-x, x3x354, 8x899x.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Caug9 has x1213x, xx2334, xx6756, x7879x, x-x-8-9-9-10, x-x-12-13-11-12, x-13-14-13-15-x, x1x130.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. Caug9 has 030354.

Tensions. A shell of Caug9, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the #11 (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.