Practice Lab

Guitar · voicings

Upper structure II voicings on guitar

Upper structure II (9–♯11–13). Played as stacked and in each inversion. Practice Lab's voicing search finds 12 shapes, every one movable: drawn here on C (D, F♯, A), each plays any key moved to it, as the table below shows. A major triad a whole step above a dominant root; play it over the 7th.

Upper structure II on C: notes and degrees
NoteDF♯A
Degree9♯1113

From the bass: D F♯ A (9 ♯11 13)

7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 10, 99String 5, fret 9, #11#11String 4, fret 7, 1313
Strings 6, 5 and 4
Grip 10-9-7-x-x-x · frets 7–10
23456E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, 99String 4, fret 4, #11#11String 3, fret 2, 1313
Strings 5, 4 and 3
Grip x-5-4-2-x-x · frets 2–5
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 12, 99String 3, fret 11, #11#11String 2, fret 10, 1313
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-12-11-10-x · frets 10–12
Show 1 more string setShow 2 more string setsShow less
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 12, 99String 3, fret 11, #11#11String 2, fret 10, 1313
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-12-11-10-x · frets 10–12
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 3, fret 7, 99String 2, fret 7, #11#11String 1, fret 5, 1313
Strings 3, 2 and 1
Grip x-x-x-7-7-5 · frets 5–7

From the bass: F♯ A D (♯11 13 9)

1213141516E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 14, #11#11String 5, fret 12, 1313String 4, fret 12, 99
Strings 6, 5 and 4
Grip 14-12-12-x-x-x · frets 12–14
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 9, #11#11String 4, fret 7, 1313String 3, fret 7, 99
Strings 5, 4 and 3
Grip x-9-7-7-x-x · frets 7–9
23456E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 4, #11#11String 3, fret 2, 1313String 2, fret 3, 99
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-4-2-3-x · frets 2–4
Show 1 more string setShow 2 more string setsShow less
23456E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 4, #11#11String 3, fret 2, 1313String 2, fret 3, 99
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-4-2-3-x · frets 2–4
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 3, fret 11, #11#11String 2, fret 10, 1313String 1, fret 10, 99
Strings 3, 2 and 1
Grip x-x-x-11-10-10 · frets 10–11

From the bass: A D F♯ (13 9 ♯11)

45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 5, 1313String 5, fret 5, 99String 4, fret 4, #11#11
Strings 6, 5 and 4
Grip 5-5-4-x-x-x · frets 4–5
1112131415E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 12, 1313String 4, fret 12, 99String 3, fret 11, #11#11
Strings 5, 4 and 3
Grip x-12-12-11-x-x · frets 11–12
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 1313String 3, fret 7, 99String 2, fret 7, #11#11
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-7-7-7-x · fret 7
Show 1 more string setShow 2 more string setsShow less
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 1313String 3, fret 7, 99String 2, fret 7, #11#11
Strings 4, 3 and 2
Grip x-x-7-7-7-x · fret 7
23456E4B3G3D3A2E2String 3, fret 2, 1313String 2, fret 3, 99String 1, fret 2, #11#11
Strings 3, 2 and 1
Grip x-x-x-2-3-2 · frets 2–3

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 (9)String 3 (♯11)String 3 (13)String 4 (9)String 4 (♯11)String 4 (13)String 5 (9)String 5 (♯11)String 5 (13)String 6 (9)String 6 (♯11)String 6 (13)
C7112124759121025
D♭812315861011136
D91426971121247
E♭102537108123158
E11364811914269
F1247591210253710
G♭158610111364811
G269711212475912
A♭371081231586101
A48119142697112
B♭5912102537108123
B610111364811914

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

Open it in Practice Lab