A6/9 Guitar Chord

A6/9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

Shape 1/2

Chord shapes:(2 positions)

Standard

Arpeggio for this shape

P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)

From the bass on the 5th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios

Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.

Speed:

What sets A6/9 apart

Play A6/9 one string at a time and you hear A, C#, E, F# and B. A is the root, C# the major third, E the fifth, F# the sixth and B the ninth. Said aloud, its notes are A, C sharp, E, F sharp and B.

From the low string to the high one you hear A, F#, B, C# and E. The lowest note is A on string 5 and the highest is E on string 1.

A6/9 lets two strings ring open. String 5 gives A and string 1 gives E. String 6 is not played. Everything fits between frets 2 and 4. The second shape on this page starts at fret 4.

Aadd9 is one change away. String 4 moves from fret 4 to fret 2, bringing in E, the fifth of Aadd9. A6/9 holds the whole F#m chord inside it, A, C# and F#. Going to Bm, two positions stay the same.

A6/9 shows up in six keys. In A major it is the I6/9, in D major the V6/9 and in E major the IV6/9. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

Recommended practice sequences

01A A - F#m - Bm - E7 02C#m C#m - A - F#m - G#7

Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (A6/9)

Formula: Sixth with Ninth (1 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 9)

Constituent chord intervals:

A 1C# 3E 5F# 6B 9

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 0 (A)

String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for A6/9:

Select each shape in the diagram above to view and listen to it

Standard

Standard Position

5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)

String Control (Muted & Active):

6th String (Low E)

×Muted

Do not play

Root

5th String (A)

○Open

ADegree 1

4th String (D)

Fret 4Finger 3

F#Degree 6

3rd String (G)

Fret 4Finger 4

BDegree 9

2nd String (B)

Fret 2Finger 1

C#Degree 3

1st String (High E)

○Open

EDegree 5

Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 4 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 4 with your Pinky finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 2 with your Index finger. Play open: 5th String (A), 1st String (High E). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Bossa Nova

Barre fret 4

6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)

String Control (Muted & Active):

Root

6th String (Low E)

Fret 5Finger 2

ADegree 1

5th String (A)

Fret 4Barre

C#Degree 3

4th String (D)

Fret 4Barre

F#Degree 6

3rd String (G)

Fret 4Barre

BDegree 9

2nd String (B)

Fret 5Finger 3

EDegree 5

1st String (High E)

Fret 5Finger 4

ADegree 1

Placement tip: Barre fret 4. Press: 6th String (Low E) at fret 5 with your Middle finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 5 with your Ring finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 5 with your Pinky finger.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (A6/9)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

Item	In this chord
Frets	2 to 4
Fretting fingers	3
Open	5th and 1st
Muted	6th

What to check

The open 5th and 1st strings sit next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from A6/9

Listen: A6/9 → Bm · E7 · D

A6/9
Bm
A6/9
E7
A6/9
D

A6/9 → Bm01

Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions

Stay in place

string 4, fret 4
string 3, fret 4

Move

string 5, fret 2
string 2, fret 3
string 1, fret 2

A6/9 → E702

Pivot / Anchor Finger:Full shape change

No finger is shared: place the bass on string 5 first, then the rest of the shape.

Move

finger 2: string 5, fret 2
finger 1: string 3, fret 1

A6/9 → D03

Pivot / Anchor Finger:Full shape change

No finger is shared: place the bass on string 3 first, then the rest of the shape.

Move

finger 1: string 3, fret 2
finger 3: string 2, fret 3
finger 2: string 1, fret 2

A6/9 in every key

A6/9 sits in the scale of 6 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty: 1/5
Highest fret: 4
Frets the hand covers: 3
Barre: No
Strings that ring: 5/6
Fretting fingers: 3

Major keys

Minor keys

A6/9 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (A6/9)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the A6/9 chord?

To play the A6/9 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the A6/9 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the A6/9 chord is its root note: A. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 0.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the A6/9 chord and what is its formula?

The A6/9 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 9 formula (Sixth with Ninth). Its constituent pitches are A, C#, E, F#, B.

How do you prevent the A6/9 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the A6/9 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official A6/9 chord diagram

A6/9 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4

Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the A family:

Chord A Chord Ab Chord Am Chord A7 Chord Ab7 Chord Amaj7 Chord Abmaj7 Chord Am7