Movable Guitar Chord Shapes

In: Guitar|Music Theory

10 Feb 2010

If you are unfamiliar with how movable guitar chord shapes work, I recommend reading this.

Chord Reference Section

Since this post is extremely long, I’ve created this index. Click a link to be brought directly to a specific chord. Note: entries that are not linked are still being created, check back soon.

Standard Chords:

TRIADS SIXTHS SEVENTHS NINTHS ELEVENTHS THIRTEENTHS
Major Major 6th Major 7th
Dominant 7th		 Major 9th
Dominant 9th		 Major 11th
Dominant 11th		 Major 13th
Dominant 13th
Minor Minor 6th Minor 7th
Minor-Major 7th		 Minor 9th
Minor-Major 9th		 Minor 11th
Minor-Major 11th		 Minor 13th
Minor-Major 13th
Diminished Half-Diminished 7th
Diminished 7th
Augmented Augmented Major 7th
Augmented 7th

Altered Chords:


 ♭5
 ♯5
 ♭6 ♭9 ♯9 ♯11
Major Maj(♭5) Maj(♭6)
Minor Min(♭6)
Major 7th Maj7(♭5) Maj7(♯5) Maj7(♯11)
Minor 7th Min7(♭9)
Min7(♯5♭9)
Dominant 7th 7(♭5) 7(♯5) 7(♭9)
7(♭5♭9)
7(♯5♭9)		 7(♯9) – Hendrix Chord
7(♯5♯9)		 7(♯11)
Major 9th Maj9(♭5) Maj9(♯5) 9(♯11)
Minor 9th
Dominant 9th 9(♭5) 9(♯5) 9(♯11)
Dominant 11th 11(♭9)
Dominant 13th 13(♭9)
13(♭5♭9)		 13(♯9) 13(♯11)

Major Chord

The major chord is one of the most common and versatile chords. Its major third and perfect fifth give it a bright resolved sounding characteristic.

Formula: 1-3-5
Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth
Notations: Major, Maj, Ma, M, Δ
Example:

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Major Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Major Scale, Ionian Mode
  • Pentatonic Major Scale
  • Lydian Mode
  • Mixolydian Mode
  • Phrygian Dominant (Phrygian ♯3)
  • Harmonic Major (Ionain ♭6)
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Acoustic Scale
  • Augmented Fifth Scale
  • Augmented Scale
  • Bartok Scale
  • Byzantine Scale
  • Chinese 8-Tone Scale
  • Chinese Scale
  • Dominant Bebop Scale
  • Dorian Bebop Scale
  • Double Harmonic Scale
  • Galician Scale
  • Gypsy Scale
  • Half-Whole Scale
  • Hindu Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale
  • Ionian add ♭9
  • Istrian Scale
  • Jewish (Freygish) Scale
  • Lydian ♯2
  • Lydian Augmented Bebop Scale
  • Lydian Dominant (Lydian ♭7)
  • Lydian Minor Bebop Scale
  • Lydiocrian Mode
  • Lydionian Mode
  • Major Bebop Scale
  • Melodic Major Minor Bebop Scale
  • Minor Bebop Scale
  • Mixionian Mode
  • Mixodorian Mode
  • Mixolydian add ♭9 Scale
  • Mixolydian ♭2
  • Mixolydian ♭6
  • Mixolydian Blues Scale
  • Mongolian Scale
  • Overtone Scale
  • Phrygian ♭4
  • Phrygian Bebop Scale
  • Spanish Gypsy Scale
  • Tritone Scale

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Minor Chord

The minor chord differs from the major chord in that it has a minor third. This minor third is what makes the chord sound “sad” in relation to a major chord.

Formula: 1-♭3-5
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth
Notations: minor, min, mi, m
Example:

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Minor Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Natural Minor Scale (Aeolian Mode)
  • Pentatonic Minor Scale
  • Blues Minor Scale
  • Harmonic Minor Scale (Aeolian ♯7)
  • Melodic Minor (Ionian ♭3)
  • Dorian Mode
  • Phrygian Mode
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Aeolian Mode
  • Algerian Scale
  • Augmented Scale
  • Balinese Scale
  • Blues Major Scale
  • Dorian ♯4
  • Dorian ♭2
  • Dorian Bebop Scale
  • Dorian Blues Scale
  • Dorian Melodic Bebop Scale
  • Doriolian Mode
  • Double Phrygian Bebop Scale
  • Ethiopian Scale
  • Half-Whole Scale
  • Harmonic Minor Bebop Scale
  • Hawaiian Scale
  • Hirajoshi Scale
  • Hungarian Gypsy Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale
  • Hungarian Minor Scale
  • Istrian Scale
  • Javanese Scale
  • Lydian ♯2
  • Lydian ♭3
  • Lydian Minor Bebop Scale
  • Melodic Major Minor Bebop Scale
  • Melodic Minor Bebop Scale
  • Minor Bebop Scale
  • Minor Gypsy Scale
  • Mixodorian Mode
  • Mohammedan Scale
  • Neapolitan Major Scale
  • Neapolitan Minor Scale
  • Pelog Scale
  • Phrygian ♭4
  • Phrygian Bebop Scale
  • Phrygiolian Mode
  • Phrygiolocrian Mode
  • Ukrainian Minor

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Diminished Chord

A diminished chord is like a minor chord, but with a diminished fifth. The diminished fifth gives it an unresolved, and sometimes eerie or ominous feel.

Formula: 1-♭3-♭5
Intervals: root, minor third, diminished fifth
Notations: diminished, dimin, dim, °
Example:

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Diminished Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Locrian Mode
  • Blues Major Scale
  • Blues Minor Scale
  • Super Locrian (Locrian ♭4)
  • Half Diminished Scale (Locrian ♯2)
  • Spanish 8-Tone Scale
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Aeolian ♭1
  • Algerian Scale
  • Altered Dominant Scale
  • Altered Scale
  • Diminished Augmented Scale
  • Diminished Major Bebop Scale
  • Dorian ♯4
  • Dorian ♭5
  • Dorian Blues Scale
  • Double Locrian Bebop Scale
  • Half-Whole Scale
  • Hungarian Gypsy Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale
  • Hungarian Minor Scale
  • Istrian Scale
  • Locrian ♯6
  • Locrian ♭7
  • Locrian Diminished Bebop Scale
  • Locrydian Mode
  • Lydian #2
  • Lydian ♭3
  • Lydian Minor Bebop Scale
  • Minor Gypsy Scale
  • Mixolydian ♯1
  • Phrygiolocrian Mode
  • Ukrainian Minor
  • Whole-Half Scale

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Augmented Chord

The minor chord differs from the major chord in that it has a minor third. This minor third is what makes the chord sound “sad” in relation to a major chord.

Formula: 1-3-♯5
Intervals: root, major third, augmented fifth
Notations: augmented, aug, +
Example:

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Augmented Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Ionian Augmented (Ionian ♯5)
  • Phrygian Dominant (Phrygian ♯3)
  • Lydian Augmented (Lydian ♯5)
  • Hindu Scale (Mixolydian ♭6)
  • Harmonic Major (Ionian ♭6)
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Aeolian ♭1
  • Altered Dominant Scale
  • Altered Scale
  • Arabian Scale
  • Augmented Fifth Scale
  • Augmented Scale
  • Byzantine Scale
  • Diminished Augmented Scale
  • Diminished Major Bebop Scale
  • Double Harmonic Scale
  • Enigmatic Scale
  • Hindu Scale
  • Jewish (Freygish) Scale
  • Leading Whole Tone Scale
  • Lydian Augmented Bebop Scale
  • Major Bebop Scale
  • Major Locrian Scale
  • Melodic Major Minor Bebop Scale
  • Mixolydian ♯1
  • Persian Scale
  • Phrygian ♭4
  • Phrygian Bebop Scale
  • Spanish 8-Tone Scale
  • Spanish Gypsy Scale
  • Super Locrian (Locrian ♭4)
  • Whole Tone Scale

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Major 6th Chord

Major sixth chords are simply a major triad with an added sixth above. A major sixth chord is enharmonically equivalent to a minor seventh chord with its root starting on the 6th. For example: CMaj6 (C-E-G-A) = Amin7 (A-C-E-G). So they are simply inversions (specifically CMaj6 is the first inversion of Amin7). It is my opinion that major sixth chords sound “Hawaiian”. This could be due to the fact that a lot of dobros and table steel guitars used in Hawaiian music are tuned to open sixth tunings like for example, Open C6 (CEGACE).

Formula: 1-3-5-6
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, major sixth
Notations: Major 6, Maj6, M6, 6M, Δ6, 6
Example:

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Major 6th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Major Scale
  • Pentatonic Major Scale
  • Ionian Mode
  • Mixolydian Mode
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Acoustic Scale
  • Augmented Fifth Scale
  • Bartok Scale
  • Chinese 8-Tone Scale
  • Chinese Scale
  • Dominant Bebop Scale
  • Dorian Bebop Scale
  • Galician Scale
  • Gypsy Scale
  • Half-Whole Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale
  • Ionian add ♭9
  • Lydian ♯2
  • Lydian Augmented Bebop Scale
  • Lydian Dominant (Lydian ♭7)
  • Lydian Minor Bebop Scale
  • Lydian Mode
  • Lydiocrian Mode
  • Lydionian Mode
  • Major Bebop Scale
  • Minor Bebop Scale
  • Mixionian Mode
  • Mixodorian Mode
  • Mixolydian add ♭9 Scale
  • Mixolydian ♭2
  • Mixolydian Blues Scale
  • Mongolian Scale
  • Overtone Scale

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Minor 6th Chord

A minor sixth chord is like a major sixth, but with an underlying minor chord, and an added sixth.

Formula: 1-♭3-5
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, major sixth
Notations: minor 6, min6, m6
Example:

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Minor 6th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Melodic Minor Scale (Ionian ♭3)
  • Blues Major Scale
  • Dorian Mode
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Dorian ♯4
  • Dorian ♭2
  • Dorian Bebop Scale
  • Dorian Blues Scale
  • Dorian Melodic Bebop Scale
  • Doriolian Mode
  • Double Phrygian Bebop Scale
  • Half-Whole Scale
  • Hawaiian Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale
  • Javanese Scale
  • Lydian ♯2
  • Lydian ♭3
  • Lydian Minor Bebop Scale
  • Melodic Minor Bebop Scale
  • Minor Bebop Scale
  • Mixodorian Mode
  • Neapolitan Major Scale
  • Ukrainian Minor

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Major 7th Chord

Major seventh chords add a major seventh interval on top of a major chord. They are popular in jazz music.

Formula: 1-3-5-7
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, major seventh
Notations: Major 7, Maj7, M7, 7M, Δ7
Example:

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Major 7th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Major Scale (Ionian Mode)
  • Lydian Mode
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Augmented Fifth Scale
  • Augmented Scale
  • Byzantine Scale
  • Chinese 8-Tone Scale
  • Dominant Bebop Scale
  • Double Harmonic Scale
  • Galician Scale
  • Ionian add ♭9
  • Harmonic Major (Ionian ♭6)
  • Lydian ♯2
  • Lydian Augmented Bebop Scale
  • Lydian Minor Bebop Scale
  • Lydiocrian Mode
  • Lydionian Mode
  • Major Bebop Scale
  • Mixionian Mode

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Minor 7th Chord

A minor seventh takes a minor chord, and adds a minor seventh. The first inversion of a minor seventh is enharmonic to a major sixth chord. For example: Cmin7 is C-Eb-G-Bb, and taking the first inversion we get Eb Maj6 (Eb-G-Bb-C).

Formula: 1-♭3-5-♭7
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh

mod-12: 0, 3, 7, 10
Notations: minor 7, min7, m7
Example:

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Minor 7th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Natural Minor Scale (Aeolian Mode)
  • Pentatonic Minor Scale
  • Blues Minor Scale
  • Dorian Mode
  • Phrygian Mode
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Dorian ♯4
  • Dorian ♭2
  • Dorian Bebop Scale
  • Dorian Blues Scale
  • Dorian Melodic Bebop Scale
  • Doriolian Mode
  • Double Phrygian Bebop Scale
  • Ethiopian Scale
  • Half-Whole Scale
  • Harmonic Minor Bebop Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale
  • Javanese Scale
  • Melodic Major Minor Bebop Scale
  • Minor Bebop Scale
  • Minor Gypsy Scale
  • Mixodorian Mode
  • Pelog Scale
  • Phrygian ♭4
  • Phrygian Bebop Scale
  • Phrygiolian Mode
  • Phrygiolocrian Mode
  • Ukrainian Minor

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Dominant 7th Chord

A dominant seventh (formerly called a major-minor seventh) is a major chord, with a minor seventh. Dominant seventh chords were the first sevenths to occur regularly in western classical music. They are also popular in the blues and jazz.

Formula: 1-3-5-♭7
Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh

mod-12: 0, 4, 7, 10
Notations: dominant 7, dom7, 7
Example:

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Dominant 7th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Mixolydian Mode
  • Phrygian #3 (Phrygian Dominant)
  • Lydian b7 (Lydian Dominant)
  • Mixolydian b6 (Hindu Scale)
  • Phrygian b4
  • Mixolydian b2
  • Bartok Scale
  • Spanish Scale
  • Gypsy Scale
  • Hindu Scale
  • Jewish Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale
  • Overtone Scale

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Minor-Major 7th Chord

A minor-major seventh is an interesting seventh variation. Essentially it is a minor triad, with an added major seventh, which gives it it’s name “minor-major seventh”. It occurs naturally in the harmonic scale at the first degree. Because harmonic minor has a major seventh, the resulting tonic seventh chord is a minor-major seventh. In jazz the melodic or harmonic minor scales are commonly used over this chord. The last chord in the James Bond theme is a minor-major seventh. Another song I can think of that uses a minor major seventh is Pink Floyd’s “Us and Them” (third chord in the opening section).

Formula: 1-♭3-5-7
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, major seventh

mod-12: 0, 3, 7, 11
Notations: min(maj7), m(Maj7), m/M7
Example:

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Minor-Major 7th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Harmonic Minor Scale
  • Melodic Minor Scale
  • Aeolian #7 (Harmonic Minor)
  • Lydian #2
  • Ionian b3 (Melodic Minor)
  • Lydian b3
  • Algerian Scale
  • Hawaiian Scale
  • Hungarian Minor Scale
  • Mohammedan Scale
  • Neapolitan Minor Scale
  • Neapolitan Major Scale

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Half-Diminished 7th Chord

A half-diminished seventh chord is essentially a diminished triad with a minor seventh. It can be thought of as a minor seventh chord with a flat fifth, which is why they are sometimes notated “m7(♭5)”. You would think that the notation would be “dim7″, but that technically means that the seventh should be diminished (♭7), which is why the term “half-diminished” was created. In the Ionian mode, a half-diminished seventh naturally occurs at the seventh degree.

Formula: 1-♭3-♭5-♭7
Intervals: root, minor third, diminished fifth, minor seventh

mod-12: 0, 3, 6, 10
Notations: m7(♭5), Ø
Example:

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Half-Diminished Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Locrian Mode
  • Locrian #6
  • Dorian #4
  • Locrian #2
  • Locrian b4 (Super Locrian)
  • Dorian b5
  • Hungarian Gypsy Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale

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Diminished 7th Chord

A diminished seventh chord takes a diminished triad, and adds a diminished seventh (enharmonic to a major sixth). All four notes are a minor third apart.

Formula: 1-♭3-♭5-♭♭7
Intervals: root, minor third, diminished fifth, diminished seventh

mod-12: 0, 3, 6, 9
Notations: diminished 7, dim7, °7
Example:

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Diminished 7th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Locrian #6
  • Dorian #4
  • Lydian #2
  • Mixolydian #1
  • Dorian b5
  • Lydian b3
  • Aeolian b1
  • Locrian b7
  • Hungarian Major Scale

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Augmented Major 7th Chord

An augmented major seventh chord has an augmented triad with a major seventh. It comes from the third mode of the melodic minor scale. C melodic minor would be C-D-E-F♯-G♯-A-B, and so the tonic seventh chord would be C-E-G♯-B, which is an augmented major seventh chord.

Formula: 1-3-♯5-7
Intervals: root, major third, augmented fifth, major seventh

mod-12: 0, 4, 8, 11
Notations: Maj7(♯5), Maj+7, Δ+7
Example:

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Augmented Major 7th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Ionian #5
  • Lydian #5
  • Ionian b6 (Harmonic Major)
  • Aeolian b1
  • Byzantine Scale
  • Enigmatic Scale
  • Leading Whole Tone Scale
  • Persian Scale

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Augmented 7th Chord

An augmented seventh chord can be thought of as an augmented triad with a minor seventh. The root tone is optional when playing this chord. Augmented seventh chords usually resolve to the chord a perfect fourth above. For example, C7(♯5) would resolve to F major.

Formula: 1-3-♯5-♭7
Intervals: root, major third, augmented fifth, minor seventh

mod-12: 0, 4, 8, 10
Notations: C7(♯5), C7+, C7aug, C7+5, C+7, Caug7
Example:

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Augmented 7th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Phrygian #3 (Phrygian Dominant)
  • Mixolydian b6 (Hindu Scale)
  • Locrian b4 (Super Locrian)
  • Phrygian b4
  • Arabian Scale
  • Enigmatic Scale
  • Spanish Scale
  • Hindu Scale
  • Jewish Scale
  • Leading Whole Tone Scale

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Major 9th Chord

A major ninth chord takes a major seventh chord, and adds a major ninth.

Formula: 1-3-5-7-9
Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh, major ninth

mod-12: 0, 4, 7, 11, 14
Notations: Major 9, Maj9, M9, 9M, Δ9
Example:

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Major 9th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Major Scale
  • Ionian Mode (Major)
  • Lydian Mode
  • Ionian b6 (Harmonic Major)

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Minor 9th Chord

A minor ninth is simply a minor seventh with an added major ninth.

Formula: 1-♭3-5-♭7-9
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth

mod-12: 0, 3, 8, 10, 14
Notations: minor 9, min9, m9
Example:

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Minor 9th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Minor Scale
  • Dorian Mode
  • Aeolian Mode (Natural Minor)
  • Dorian #4
  • Ethiopian Scale
  • Hungarian Gypsy Scale

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Dominant 9th Chord

A dominant ninth takes a dominant seventh and adds a major ninth.

Formula: 1-3-5-♭7-9
Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth

mod-12: 0, 4, 7, 10, 14
Notations: dominant 9, dom 9, 9
Example:

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Dominant 9th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Mixolydian Mode
  • Lydian b7 (Lydian Dominant)
  • Mixolydian b6 (Hindu Scale)
  • Bartok Scale
  • Hindu Scale
  • Overtone Scale

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Minor-Major 9th Chord

Adding a ninth to a minor-major 7th chord will create a minor-major 9th chord.

Formula: 1-♭3-5-7-9
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, major seventh, major ninth

mod-12: 0, 3, 7, 11, 14
Notations: min(maj9), m(Maj9), m/M9
Example:

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Minor-Major 9th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
  • Harmonic Minor Scale
  • Melodic Minor Scale
  • Aeolian #7 (Harmonic Minor)
  • Ionian b3 (Melodic Minor)
  • Lydian b3
  • Algerian Scale
  • Hawaiian Scale
  • Hungarian Minor Scale
  • Mohammedan Scale

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Major 11th Chord

A major 11th chord adds a perfect eleventh interval on top of a major ninth chord. It isn’t a particularly popular chord due to a dissonant minor ninth interval between the perfect eleventh and major third. Because of this dissonance, it is common to omit certain notes from the chord. The only required notes are the root, third, seventh, and eleventh.

Formula: 1-3-5-7-9-11
Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh, major ninth, perfect 11th

mod-12: 0, 4, 7, 11, 14, 16
Notations: Major 11, Maj11, M11, 11M, Δ11
Example:

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Major 11th Guitar Chord Shapes: The following shapes omit the 5th and 9th:
Compatible Scales:
  • Major Scale
  • Ionian Mode (Major)
  • Ionian b6 (Harmonic Major)

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Minor 11th Chord

A minor eleventh chord is formed by taking a minor ninth, and adding a perfect eleventh.

Formula: 1-♭3-5-♭7-9-11
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh

mod-12: 0, 3, 8, 10, 14, 16
Notations: minor 11, min11, m11
Example:

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Minor 11th Guitar Chord Shapes: The following voicings omit the 5th and 9th:
Compatible Scales:
  • Minor Scale
  • Dorian Mode
  • Aeolian Mode (Natural Minor)
  • Ethiopian Scale

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Dominant 11th Chord

A dominant eleventh chord is formed by taking a dominant ninth and adding a perfect eleventh.

Formula: 1-3-5-♭7-9-11
Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh
Notations: 11
Example:

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Dominant 11th Guitar Chord Shapes: The following voicing omits the 5th and 9th:
Compatible Scales:
  • Mixolydian Mode
  • Mixolydian b6 (Hindu Scale)
  • Hindu Scale

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Chord

Minor-Major 11th Chord

A minor-major 11th chord is simply a minor-major 7th with an added 9th and 11th.

Formula: 1-♭3-5-7-9-11
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, major seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh
Notations: min(maj11), m(Maj11), m/M11
Example:

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Minor-Major 11th

Guitar Chord Shapes:

 The following voicings omit the 5th and 9th:

The following voicing is easy to play, but the 11th is very low in the chord:

Compatible Scales:
  • Harmonic Minor Scale
  • Melodic Minor Scale
  • Aeolian #7 (Harmonic Minor)
  • Ionian b3 (Melodic Minor)
  • Hawaiian Scale
  • Mohammedan Scale

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Major 13th Chord

A major 13th chord is formed by adding a major 13th to a major 11th chord.  The interesting thing about this chord is that it is basically the entire Major scale built into one chord.

Formula: 1-3-5-7-9-11-13
Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, major thirteenth
Notations: Major 13, Maj13, M13, 13M, Δ13
Example:

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Major 13th

Guitar Chord Shapes:

 The following voicing omits the 5th and 11th:

The following voicings omit the 5th, 9th and 11th:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Major Scale, Ionian Mode

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Minor 13th Chord

A minor 13th is a minor seventh with an added major ninth, perfect eleventh, and major thirteenth.   A minor 13th chord is basically the entire Dorian mode in one chord.

Formula: 1-♭3-5-♭7-9-11-13
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, major thirteenth
Notations: minor 13, min13, m13
Example:

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Minor-Major 13th Guitar Chord Shapes:
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Dorian Mode

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Dominant 13th Chord

The dominant 13th chord is is basically the entire Mixolydian mode in one chord.  It can also be thought of as a dominant seventh with an added major ninth, perfect eleventh, and major thirteenth.

Formula: 1-3-5-♭7-9-11-13
Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, major thirteenth
Notations: 13
Example:

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Minor-Major 13th Guitar Chord Shapes:
No 5th

No 5th, No 9th, No 11th
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Mixolydian Mode

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Minor-Major 13th Chord

A minor-major 13th chord can be thought of as a major 13th chord with a minor third.  It could also be thought of as a minor triad with a major seventh, ninth, eleventh and thirteenth.  The interesting thing about this chord is that it is the entire melodic minor scale in one chord.

Formula: 1-♭3-5-7-9-11-13
Intervals: root, minor third, perfect fifth, major seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, major thirteenth
Notations: min(maj13), m(Maj13), m/M13
Example:

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Minor-Major 13th Guitar Chord Shapes:
No 5th

No 5th, No 9th
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Melodic Minor Scale (Ionian b3)

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Major Flat-5 Chord

The major flat-5 chord is basically a major triad, but with a diminished fifth instead of a perfect fifth.  This change is subtle, but provides a result that sounds ominous and urgent.  This chord would best be used with the Lydian mode.

Formula: 1-3-♭5
Intervals: root, major third, diminished fifth
Notations: Major(♭5), Maj(♭5), M(♭5), ♭5
Example:

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Major Flat-5 Guitar Chord Shapes:
All Intervals
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Lydian Mode
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Acoustic Scale
  • Aeolian b1
  • Altered Dominant Scale
  • Altered Scale
  • Arabian Scale
  • Bartok Scale
  • Diminished Augmented Scale
  • Diminished Major Bebop Scale
  • Enigmatic Scale
  • Half-Whole Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale
  • Istrian Scale
  • Leading Whole Tone Scale
  • Locrian b4 (Super Locrian)
  • Lydian #2
  • Lydian Augmented (Lydian #5)
  • Lydian Augmented Bebop Scale
  • Lydian Dominant (Lydian b7)
  • Lydian Minor Bebop Scale
  • Lydiocrian Mode
  • Lydionian Mode
  • Major Locrian Scale
  • Mixolydian #1
  • Mixolydian Blues Scale
  • Oriental Scale
  • Overtone Scale
  • Persian Scale
  • Prometheus Scale
  • Spanish 8-Tone Scale
  • Tritone Scale
  • Whole Tone Scale

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Major 7th Flat-5 Chord

The Maj7(♭5) chord is a major seventh chord with a diminished fifth.  Curiously, it is very similar to the Maj7(♯11) chord.  This is because an augmented eleventh (which can be thought of as augmented fourth) is enharmonically equivalent to a diminished fifth.  So if you think of the diminished fifth in the Maj7(♭5) chord as an augmented eleventh, you end up with basically the same thing as a Maj7(♯11), with the only difference being the absence of the fifth (which is not required anyway).

Formula: 1-3-♭5-7
Intervals: root, major third, diminished fifth, major seventh
Notations: Maj7(♭5), M7(♭5)
Example:

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Major Flat-5 Guitar Chord Shapes:
All Intervals
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Lydian Mode
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Aeolian ♭1
  • Diminished Augmented Scale
  • Diminished Major Bebop Scale
  • Enigmatic Scale
  • Leading Whole Tone
  • Lydian ♯2
  • Lydian Augmented (Lydian ♯5)
  • Lydian Augmented Bebop Scale
  • Lydian Minor Bebop Scale
  • Lydiocrian Mode
  • Lydionian Mode
  • Persian Scale

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Dominant 7♯9 (Hendrix Chord)

The dominant 7♯9 chord is commonly referred to as the “Hendrix Chord” because of its use in the songs “Purple Haze” and “Foxey Lady”.  This chord is essentially a dominant 7th with an augmented ninth interval on top.

Pentatonic minor and blues scales will work best over this chord.  You could alternate between the minor pentatonic built on the root, and the minor pentatonic a semitone above the root.  Another scale worth trying is the half-whole scale, which is sometimes referred to as the “reversed diminished scale”.

Formula: 1-3-5-♭7-♯9
Intervals: root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, augmented ninth
Notations: 7♯9
Example:

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Dominant 7♯9 Guitar Chord Shapes:
No 5th
Compatible Scales:
Recommended Scales
  • Half-Whole Scale
  • Pentatonic Minor Scale
Additional Scales (Click to expand)
  • Altered Dominant Scale
  • Altered Scale
  • Blues Scale
  • Diminished Major Bebop Scale
  • Dorian Bebop Scale
  • Hungarian Major Scale
  • Locrian ♭4 (Super Locrian)
  • Melodic Major Minor Bebop Scale
  • Minor Bebop Scale
  • Mixodorian Mode
  • Phrygian ♭4
  • Phrygian Bebop Scale
  • Spanish 8-Tone Scale

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6 Responses to Movable Guitar Chord Shapes

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Chad

January 8th, 2009 at 11:09 pm

Great resource. I teach guitar as a profession and stumbled onto your site by accident. Very cool way to present moveable shapes along with analysis. I’m bookmarking this page. ‘preciate it.

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Harri

July 26th, 2009 at 11:58 am

From Finland (Scandinavia). Looked for movable 9th. But you got everything in here, I will bookmark it and also save offline. Great page. Thanks a lot.

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mike

August 21st, 2009 at 10:36 am

Just want to say thanks very much for this great website. Exactly what I was looking for.

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Free_Fall

October 1st, 2009 at 6:20 am

Wow……What a cool site. Thank a lot for these useful resources.

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Moveable Guitar Chord Shapes « Synesthesiac

February 2nd, 2010 at 3:54 am

[...] http://www.synesthesiac.org/2008/11/moveable-guitar-chord-shapes/ [...]

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Applying Intervals to Chords - Synesthesiac.org

August 29th, 2010 at 9:12 pm

[...] …and we can now determine the type of chord type, which in this case happens to be a Major 6th chord.  If you’re looking for a reference of chord types and intervals, check this out. [...]

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