F#m69

F#m69 is F#, A, C#, D# and G#, a minor six-nine. The shape this page opens on is written 201122, lowest string first.

Also written F#m6/9, F#min6/9 or F#-6/9. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 9 common shapes for F#m69 on the guitar, and 38 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of F#m69 belongs to C# minor (the iv) and E major (the ii).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 201122, 2x1224, 2x4244, xx4244, x44244, 544644, x9789x, 14-12-13-13-x-x, x-12-13-13-14-14.

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. F#m69 has 2011xx, xx4244, x9789x, 14-12-13-13-x-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. F#m69 has 2011xx, xx4244, x9789x, 14-12-13-13-x-x, x0414x, 4642xx, 5968xx, xx6875.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. F#m69 has x0x142, 4x424x, x9x895, 5x687x, 11-x-7-11-9-x, x-11-x-11-10-11, 14-x-13-13-10-x, x6x274.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. F#m69 has x0112x, xx6645, xx7899, x-12-13-13-14-x, xx1224, x4x244, x4624x, x6x695.

Tensions. A shell of F#m69, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 11 (B).

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