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what chord is this?

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(@twistedlefty)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 4113
Topic starter  

hope this is the right forum
i have a tab that calls this a E11b9 but, i have no idea
capoed at the 4th fret, standard tuning, all strings ring

also what would it be open (2nd fret)

edit "capoed"for "barred"

#4491....


   
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(@almann1979)
Noble Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1281
 

As i had no idea whatsoever, i used an internet chord name finder which gave me these names
Ab flat5 6th
F m 6th
D Ø half dimº
C add9 aug5 sus4

im interested to see if any of them are the right answer :D

"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)


   
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(@noteboat)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

If I'm understanding your diagram, the frets played are 456564? Ignoring the fact that it's practically unplayable...

Those notes are G#-D-G#-C-F-G#. The name of a chord depends on the context - something like this can have several names depending on how it's being used (but only one name will usually be correct for a given situation).

I can see the logic of it being an E dominant chord type, because you have the G#-D tritone. Of course, that tritone also exists between D-Ab in a Bb dominant chord. And with no E or Bb, either would be rootless. And we've got no B - the fifth of an E-root chord... but we do have an F; that's the fifth of Bb.

So let's start with the assumption that E makes sense for other reasons. We've got G# (3rd), D (b7), C (b6th/b13th), and F (b9). With no 11th (A), it's not an 11th chord. But it could be E7(b13b9).

Now let's see what happens if Bb is the root... we've got Ab (b7), D (3rd), C (9) and F (5). That's a rootless Bb9. Without a strong reason to call it something else, that's what I'd probably go with. And without the barre - playing just strings 5-2 - that's a grip I'll use at times for a 9th chord.

In the absence of some solid reason to say Bb isn't the root, I'd go with the simple name :)

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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(@twistedlefty)
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Joined: 20 years ago
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Topic starter  

my mistake,
i meant to state that it was capoed at the 4th fret not barred.
sorry
does that make any sense?

#4491....


   
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(@fretsource)
Prominent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 973
 

Are you sure it's barred and not capoed? If barred it's virtually unplayable. If capoed, it will be called by it's name relative to the capo, which would be E11b9 (if E is the root). The 3rd of the chord is omitted too, so it could also be called E 7b9sus.

Edit - Ah - just saw your correction. It's capoed. As I thought :D


   
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(@twistedlefty)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 4113
Topic starter  

yes, i realised the mistake after i read, and researched Tom's post.
it is capoed.
sorry for the confusion
thanks for the replies

#4491....


   
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