Stacked fourths - 6/9 chord C6

Bengt Erlandsen · Post by **Bengt Erlandsen** » 13 May 2002 5:14 am

Different chord depending on which strings are used.
P6 would give a Adom11 on the 4th fret.
P5 would give a F#9 on the 4th fret.
But they also give other voicings/chords.

<pre>
pedals lever
tuning P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 K
G G - A - B C - D - E F - G
E F E F - G - A - B C - D - E
C D B C - D - E F - G - A - B C
A B B A - B C - D - E F - G - A
G F# G - A - B C - D - E F - G
E Eb E F - G - A - B C - D - E
C C# C - D - E F - G - A - B C
A B A - B C - D - E F - G - A
F F# E F - G - A - B C - D - E F
C D A C - D - E F - G - A - B C

This 6/9 chord has two 4th intervals on top of each other, + a low root note.

G6/9 has the notes G B E A low to high. ( R 3 6 9 )
use D as a root note and keep the top voicing
will give:
D6/9 with the notes D B E A = ( R 6 9 5 )

These 6/9 chords can be used for chromatic movement between chords.

Example

G6/9 Db6/9 F6/9
G ---------------------------------------
E ---4(6-------4----------2(6------------
C ---4---------4(k--------2--------------
A ---------------------------------------
G ---4---------4(5--------2--------------
E ---4(6------------------2(6------------
C ---------------------------------------
A -------------4-------------------------
F ---------------------------------------
C ---------------------------------------
</pre>

I find this voicing easier to find on the E9 but here it is on the C6

I am sure someone on the forum with a better grasp on jazz-theory can explain further about the use of stacked fourths or 6/9 chords.

Bengt

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 13 May 2002 7:13 am

I can't comment on stacked fourths. I don't conciously use them in my playing. As far as the use of a 6/9 chord, it is generally a good substitution for a Maj7. Basically, the 6, maj7, 9 notes are interchangeable when played against the Maj7 chord in a pop/jazz tune. Guitar players use the 6/9 alot because it is fingered very easily. On C6 steel, the chord is not so readily accessible and you have to play out of position to find it. The voicing I like best is the one Doug Jernigan uses where he plays strings 2,3,4,5,6 at fret 2 for a G6/9 chord. He buries the 6/9 notes in the bottom of the chord, and has the tonic and 5th at the top, where they can be used for the lead note. HOWEVER, to get that chord, he lowers string 6 a full tone, an uncommon pull. Anyway, with the range of voicings available on C6 for Maj7, 6, and Maj9 chords, I don't think that not having a good way to play a useful 6/9 is that important. I welcome other thoughts, though.

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 13 May 2002 4:07 pm

I should mention that the G6/9 voicing Doug Jernigan plays that in mentioned in the previous post requires pedal 6 as well as a full-tone lower on string 6. Pedal 6 gives you the G lead note at the top of the voicing on string 2, followed by a D, B, A, and E (full tone lower). It is a real good-sounding voicing that is the same as what a guitarist would finger at fret 3, playing the first string G, 2nd string D, then fingering fret 2, and playing a third string A, and 4th string E. The steel voicing has the B note, which the guitar voicing doesn't. Otherwise, they are the same.

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 14 May 2002 5:15 am

If I can comment, I am no genius on the steel guitar but I use the 6/9 chord to harmonize the minor pentatonic scale. I've heard the masters like BE do this. Maybe I should take that back, I'm not harmonizing the scale. I slide the chord up or down, using the top note of the chord to voice the scale.

for what it's worth,

Drew Howard

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Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 14 May 2002 5:46 am

Drew,
What voicings (pedals, strings) do you use on C6 for a 6/9 chord to do what BE does? Thanks

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 14 May 2002 6:08 am

The 6/9 makes a beautiful ending chord. Play it on E9 like this:

C6/9, E9 tuning <pre>lever E = lower D# to D / Strum with thumb

1---------------------------------------10---
2------------------------------------10E-----
3---------------------------------10B--------
4-------------------------------10-----------
5--------------10-------------10-------------
6-----------10B------------------------------
7---------10---------------------------------
8-------10-----------------------------------
9-----10-------------------------------------
10-------------------------------------------

notes C D E G A A D G C E

chord progression:

|C |F |G7 |C C6/9 |
</pre>
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[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 14 May 2002 at 07:24 AM.]

Bengt Erlandsen · Post by **Bengt Erlandsen** » 14 May 2002 8:03 am

This is very much the same as Drew described
but here there is no root to make the 6/9 chord.
Only stacked fourths. Same way I would do on a regular
6 string.

<pre>

Stacked fourths w/Am pentatonic on top
G ---------------------------------------
E --4(6--7(6--9(6--11(6--14(6--16(6------
C --4----7----9----11----14----16--------
A ---------------------------------------
G --4----7----9----11----14----16--------
E ---------------------------------------
C ---------------------------------------
A ---------------------------------------
F ---------------------------------------
C ---------------------------------------

</pre>

BTW the D.J. G6/9 is possible to play on regular guitar
using strings 5 4 3 2 1 frets(7 7 4 3 3) index finger frets
both notes on third fret. I must admit it hurts my fingers.
It is less difficult higher up the neck. It does have a nice
sound but my ears want to hear an A note as the bass.
That voicing to me would be some kind of A11 or an A chord with no 3rd
with an inverted G-triad on top.

Thanks for the replies.
I am picking up lots of good ideas here.

Bengt

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 14 May 2002 10:21 am

This is the 6/9 chord I use on C6th pedal steel.
<pre>
(G6/9)
2._0
3._0L
4._0
5._0
6._0
</pre>
2nd string is E(6th tone)
3rd string is B(3rd tone)
4th string is A(9th tone)
5th string is G(1st tone)
6th string is E(6th tone)
So that's one inversion I use for the 6/9 chord on the C6th tuning......and there are more......but it will cost ya....ah...ha

just kiddin'
Ricky
[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 14 May 2002 at 11:23 AM.]

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 14 May 2002 6:01 pm

We're birds of a feather...

<pre>G Altered Pentatonic in E9 tuning

4/-3--6--8--9--10--13--15
5/-3--6--8--9--10--13--15
6/-----------------------
7/-3--6--8--9--10--13--15</pre>

Like the 6 string voicing (and Bengt's)

cheers,
Drew Howard

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www.drewhoward.com

David Norris · Post by **David Norris** » 14 May 2002 10:48 pm

Hi Bengt,
How about nice some nice sounding minor 6th chord voicings on the E9th neck.
It would be very appreciated.

thanks for everything,
David

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