Eb69

Eb69 is Eb, G, Bb, C and F, a six-nine. The shape this page opens on is written xx1011, lowest string first.

Note by note. Eb is the root, G is the major third, Bb is the fifth, C is the sixth and F is the ninth.

Also written Eb6/9, Eb6add9 or Eb six nine. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 8 common shapes for Eb69 on the guitar, and 43 derived voicings in 4 families.

One note away. Change a single note of Eb69 and you have Ebmaj9 (with one note moved), Ebmaj13 (with one note added), Ebm69 (with one note moved), Ebadd9 (with one note taken away), Eb6 (with one note taken away) or Eb9 (with one note moved).

In which keys. Every note of Eb69 belongs to C minor (the ♭III), Eb major (the I), F minor (the ♭VII), G minor (the ♭VI), Ab major (the V) and Bb major (the IV).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: xx1011, x33343, x63543, x65566, x88888, 11-10-10-10-11-11, x-x-13-12-13-13, x-13-13-12-13-13.

Under the hand. 1 of the 8 shapes here sits in open position, and the first uses 1 open string with 2 left unplayed. 7 of the 8 need a barre. Together they cover the neck from the 1st fret to the 13th.

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. Eb69 has xx1011, x6556x, 11-10-10-10-x-x, x-x-13-12-13-13, x6x011.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Eb69 has xx1011, 1310xx, xx3543, x3304x, x6556x, x-8-10-8-8-x, 11-10-10-10-x-x, x-x-13-12-13-13.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Eb69 has 1x101x, x3x041, x6x563, 3x354x, 8x586x, x8x888, 11-x-10-10-8-x, x-10-x-10-13-11.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. Eb69 has xx3313, x1301x, xx5566, x-x-8-10-8-8, x-10-10-10-11-x, x-x-15-15-13-15, x1x011, x3536x.

Tensions. A shell of Eb69, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the #11 (A).

What kind of chord this is. Eb69 is a major chord — root, major third, fifth. major chords on every root, and what they are for.

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