How to play C augmented 7th flat 9th chord on guitar
Shape 8bb9b0
Shape characteristics
Partial barre
One finger presses two strings at the same fret. A lighter, less tiring grip than a full barre while still being fully movable.
Upper register · fret 8-11
Brighter, more focused tone with less low-end. Works well when layering over a bassist or second guitar, and integrates naturally with lead-line phrasing higher on the neck.
Full six-string voicing
All six strings ring, giving you the biggest, most resonant version of this chord, ideal for strumming and solo acoustic contexts.
Bass: C · Top: E
The root is in the bass, so the chord sounds grounded and stable. This is the natural starting voicing for most progressions.
Compared to Shape 8x8999 , this voicing uses a barre chord and drops 1 string for a tighter, more compact sound.
How to play this shape
- 1 Place the 1st finger on the 8th fret of the 6th string
- 2 Place the 2nd finger on the 9th fret of the 3rd string
- 3 Place the 3rd finger on the 11th fret of the 4th string and 5th string in barre position
- 4 Place the 4th finger on the 11th fret of the 2nd string
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "8bb9b0" mean?
The sequence 8bb9b0 is a highly compact guitar chord notation. It represents the fret played on each of the 6 strings, reading left-to-right from the thickest (lowest pitch) string to the thinnest (highest pitch) string: E, A, D, G, B, e.
- x means the string is muted or skipped entirely.
- 0 means the string is played "open" (without pressing over a fret).
- 1-9 represent standard fret numbers 1 to 9.
- a, b, c... represent frets 10, 11, 12, and higher (where a=10, b=11, c=12).
Can I play this C augmented 7th flat 9th shape anywhere else?
Yes! This specific layout is just one way to voice a C augmented 7th flat 9th chord. You can find all other variations in our chord shape library for C augmented 7th flat 9th. Most guitarists choose different shapes based on whether they want a "brighter" or "deeper" sound, or which chord they are transitioning from.
How do I stop my fingers from buzzing?
Since this shape uses open strings (marked with '0'), make sure your fingers are arched like a "claw" so they don't accidentally brush against the open strings. Press down firmly just behind the metal fret wires for the clearest sound.
Other shapes
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