How to play G♭min(add9)/A♭ chord on guitar
Shape xbbba9
Shape characteristics
Barre chord
Your first finger flattens across multiple strings at the same fret. Movable up and down the neck to any key without changing the shape.
Upper register · fret 9-11
Brighter, more focused tone with less low-end. Works well when layering over a bassist or second guitar, and integrates naturally with lead-line phrasing higher on the neck.
Five-string voicing
One string muted. Keeps a full low end without overlapping awkwardly with a bassist or second guitar.
Bass: A♭ · Top: D♭
The 7th (or equivalent upper tone) is in the bass, producing a suspended, leading quality that naturally wants to resolve downward.
Compared to Shape xx6675 , this voicing uses a closed voicing and sits lower on the neck (starting at fret 5) and drops 1 string for a tighter, more compact sound.
How to play this shape
- 1 Place the 1st finger on the 9th fret of the 1st string
- 2 Place the 2nd finger on the 10th fret of the 2nd string
- 3 Place the 3rd finger on the 11th fret of the 3rd string, 4th string, and 5th string in barre position
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "xbbba9" mean?
The sequence xbbba9 is a highly compact guitar chord notation. It represents the fret played on each of the 6 strings, reading left-to-right from the thickest (lowest pitch) string to the thinnest (highest pitch) string: E, A, D, G, B, e.
- x means the string is muted or skipped entirely.
- 0 means the string is played "open" (without pressing over a fret).
- 1-9 represent standard fret numbers 1 to 9.
- a, b, c... represent frets 10, 11, 12, and higher (where a=10, b=11, c=12).
Can I play this G♭min(add9)/A♭ shape anywhere else?
Yes! This specific layout is just one way to voice a G♭min(add9)/A♭ chord. You can find all other variations in our chord shape library for G♭min(add9)/A♭. Most guitarists choose different shapes based on whether they want a "brighter" or "deeper" sound, or which chord they are transitioning from.
Why do some strings have an 'x'?
Strings marked with an 'x' should not ring out. These notes are excluded because they don't belong to the G♭min(add9)/A♭ chord or would clash with this specific voicing. You can mute these strings by lightly touching them with a finger that is already pressing a neighboring fret.
Other shapes
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