How to play Dmin7(♭5)/A♭ chord on guitar
Shape xbaada
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 10-13
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.
Five-string voicing
One string muted. Keeps a full low end without overlapping awkwardly with a bassist or second guitar.
Bass: A♭ · Top: D
The 5th is in the bass, giving an open, unresolved feel that often precedes a strong resolution back to root position.
Compared to Shape xb0ddd , this voicing uses an open chord and sits higher on the neck (starting at fret 11).
How to play this shape
- 1 Place the 1st finger on the 10th fret of the 1st string, 3rd string, and 4th string in barre position
- 2 Place the 2nd finger on the 11th fret of the 5th string
- 3 Place the 4th finger on the 13th fret of the 2nd string
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "xbaada" mean?
The sequence xbaada 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 Dmin7(♭5)/A♭ shape anywhere else?
Yes! This specific layout is just one way to voice a Dmin7(♭5)/A♭ chord. You can find all other variations in our chord shape library for Dmin7(♭5)/A♭. Most guitarists choose different shapes based on whether they want a "brighter" or "deeper" sound, or which chord they are transitioning from.
Why do some strings have an 'x'?
Strings marked with an 'x' should not ring out. These notes are excluded because they don't belong to the Dmin7(♭5)/A♭ chord or would clash with this specific voicing. You can mute these strings by lightly touching them with a finger that is already pressing a neighboring fret.
Other shapes
Showing 8 of 23 playable shapes