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Guitar · voicings

Upper structure ♭VI voicings on guitar

Upper structure bVI (1–♭3–♭13). Played as stacked and in each inversion. Practice Lab's voicing search finds 12 shapes, every one movable: drawn here on C (C, E♭, A♭), each plays any key moved to it, as the table below shows. A major triad on bVI over a dominant root — from C7 this is Ab–C–Eb.

Upper structure ♭VI on C: notes and degrees
NoteCE♭A♭
Degree1♭3♭13

From the bass: C E♭ A♭ (1 ♭3 ♭13)

678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 8, 11String 5, fret 6, b3b3String 4, fret 6, b13b13
Strings 6, 5 and 4
Grip 8-6-6-x-x-x · frets 6–8
12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 3, 11String 4, fret 1, b3b3String 3, fret 1, b13b13
Strings 5, 4 and 3
Grip x-3-1-1-x-x · frets 1–3
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, 11String 3, fret 8, b3b3String 2, fret 9, b13b13
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-10-8-9-x · frets 8–10
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89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, 11String 3, fret 8, b3b3String 2, fret 9, b13b13
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-10-8-9-x · frets 8–10
45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 3, fret 5, 11String 2, fret 4, b3b3String 1, fret 4, b13b13
Strings 3, 2 and 1
Grip x-x-x-5-4-4 · frets 4–5

From the bass: E♭ A♭ C (♭3 ♭13 1)

1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 11, b3b3String 5, fret 11, b13b13String 4, fret 10, 11
Strings 6, 5 and 4
Grip 11-11-10-x-x-x · frets 10–11
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 6, b3b3String 4, fret 6, b13b13String 3, fret 5, 11
Strings 5, 4 and 3
Grip x-6-6-5-x-x · frets 5–6
12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 1, b3b3String 3, fret 1, b13b13String 2, fret 1, 11
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-1-1-1-x · fret 1
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12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 1, b3b3String 3, fret 1, b13b13String 2, fret 1, 11
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-1-1-1-x · fret 1
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 3, fret 8, b3b3String 2, fret 9, b13b13String 1, fret 8, 11
Strings 3, 2 and 1
Grip x-x-x-8-9-8 · frets 8–9

From the bass: A♭ C E♭ (♭13 1 ♭3)

12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 4, b13b13String 5, fret 3, 11String 4, fret 1, b3b3
Strings 6, 5 and 4
Grip 4-3-1-x-x-x · frets 1–4
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 11, b13b13String 4, fret 10, 11String 3, fret 8, b3b3
Strings 5, 4 and 3
Grip x-11-10-8-x-x · frets 8–11
45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 6, b13b13String 3, fret 5, 11String 2, fret 4, b3b3
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-6-5-4-x · frets 4–6
Show 1 more string setShow 2 more string setsShow less
45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 6, b13b13String 3, fret 5, 11String 2, fret 4, b3b3
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-6-5-4-x · frets 4–6
1112131415E4B3G3D3A2E2String 3, fret 13, b13b13String 2, fret 13, 11String 1, fret 11, b3b3
Strings 3, 2 and 1
Grip x-x-x-13-13-11 · frets 11–13

Where the shapes start in every key

The fret of each shape's lowest note, between fret 1 and 12, by the string it is on and the degree it plays.

DominantString 3 (1)String 3 (♭3)String 3 (♭13)String 4 (1)String 4 (♭3)String 4 (♭13)String 5 (1)String 5 (♭3)String 5 (♭13)String 6 (1)String 6 (♭3)String 6 (♭13)
C581101636118114
C♯692112747129125
D710312385811016
D♯81141496921127
E9125251071031238
F101636118114149
F♯1127471291252510
G123858110163611
G♯14969211274712
A251071031238581
B♭36118114149692
B4712912525107103

Scales with Upper structure ♭VI on C in them

Scale pages on the same root that hold every note of the voicing.

Use it in a progression

Progression pages with a dominant on C it can voice, with the numeral it plays.

Practice it in Practice Lab

Practice Upper structure ♭VI voicings in every key, at your tempo, with a plan that adapts. Free, in your browser, no account.

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