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. | Note | C | E♭ | A♭ | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Degree | 1 | ♭3 | ♭13 | ## From the bass: C E♭ A♭ (1 ♭3 ♭13) **Strings 6, 5 and 4** Grip 8-6-6-x-x-x · frets 6–8 **Strings 5, 4 and 3** Grip x-3-1-1-x-x · frets 1–3 **Strings 4, 3 and 2** Grip x-x-10-8-9-x · frets 8–10 **Strings 3, 2 and 1** Grip x-x-x-5-4-4 · frets 4–5 ## From the bass: E♭ A♭ C (♭3 ♭13 1) **Strings 6, 5 and 4** Grip 11-11-10-x-x-x · frets 10–11 **Strings 5, 4 and 3** Grip x-6-6-5-x-x · frets 5–6 **Strings 4, 3 and 2** Grip x-x-1-1-1-x · fret 1 **Strings 3, 2 and 1** Grip x-x-x-8-9-8 · frets 8–9 ## From the bass: A♭ C E♭ (♭13 1 ♭3) **Strings 6, 5 and 4** Grip 4-3-1-x-x-x · frets 1–4 **Strings 5, 4 and 3** Grip x-11-10-8-x-x · frets 8–11 **Strings 4, 3 and 2** Grip x-x-6-5-4-x · frets 4–6 **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. | Dominant | String 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) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | C | 5 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 4 | | C♯ | 6 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 5 | | D | 7 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 6 | | D♯ | 8 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 7 | | E | 9 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 8 | | F | 10 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 | | F♯ | 11 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 10 | | G | 12 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 11 | | G♯ | 1 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 12 | | A | 2 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 1 | | B♭ | 3 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 2 | | B | 4 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 3 | ## Scales with Upper structure ♭VI on C in them Scale pages on the same root that hold every note of the voicing. - [C minor scale](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/scales/c-minor) - [C Phrygian scale](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/scales/c-phrygian) - [C Locrian scale](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/scales/c-locrian) - [C harmonic minor scale](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/scales/c-harmonic-minor) - [C altered scale](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/scales/c-altered) - [C, E♭, G♭ and A diminished whole–half scale](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/scales/c-diminished-whole-half) ## Use it in a progression Progression pages with a dominant on C it can voice, with the numeral it plays. - [ii–V–I in F](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/progressions/ii-v-i-in-f) (C7 as V7) - [ii–V–I in F minor](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/progressions/ii-v-i-in-f-minor) (C7 as V7) - [I–vi–ii–V in F](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/progressions/i-vi-ii-v-in-f) (C7 as V) - [Autumn Leaves](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/autumn-leaves) (C7 as 27b) - [Rhythm changes](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/rhythm-changes) (C7 as 21) - [Blues in F](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/blues-in-f) (C7 as 9) ## 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. [Open it in Practice Lab](https://practice.graph.audio/#practice=voicing-upper-structure-b6:0:shapes)