C#69

C#69 is C#, E#, G#, A# and D#, a six-nine. The shape this page opens on is written x11121, lowest string first.

Also written C#6/9, C#6add9 or C# six nine. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 8 common shapes for C#69 on the guitar, and 37 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of C#69 belongs to C# major (the I), Eb minor (the ♭VII), F minor (the ♭VI), F# major (the V), Ab major (the IV) and Bb minor (the ♭III).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x11121, x41321, x43344, x66666, 988899, x-x-11-10-11-11, x-11-11-10-11-11, x-13-13-13-14-13.

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. C#69 has x4334x, 9888xx, x-x-11-10-11-11.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. C#69 has xx1321, x4334x, x6866x, 9888xx, x-x-11-10-11-11, x-x-13-15-14-13, 1413xx, xx3646.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. C#69 has x4x341, 1x132x, 6x364x, x6x666, 9x886x, x-8-x-8-11-9, 11-x-11-10-11-x, x-13-x-10-14-11.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. C#69 has xx3344, xx6866, x8889x, x-x-13-13-11-13, x1314x, x1x141, x6636x, x6x364.

Tensions. A shell of C#69, 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.