Chord Shapes

[David G]

Wonder if someone can help me. I have a piece of music which has a chord diagram which it describes as an F6. I have a chord dictionary which gives the same shape on the same (first) fret but lists it as a B flat Major 7.

One shape two chord names. Is this common?

And what is the relationship between B flat and F that makes this possible. Also, if I place the same shape on the third fret am I playing a G6 and a C major7 at the same time?

[Michael L]

Hi David,
I’m not sure about the diagrams… it would be great to see images of them if you can post them. Are any open strings used in those voicings?
As for the chords, they do share 3 out of 4 common tones:

F6: F A C D
Bbmaj7: Bb D F A
The D F and A are common to both.

For G6 and Cmaj7:
G6: G B D E
Cmaj7: C E G B
The G B and E are common to both.

[David G]

Thanks for the response. I tried to find a way to post a diagram but didn’t manage it. Essentially its a six string bar on the first fret with a D7 style triangle over it on 2,3and 4th strings. I think I may have the answer now though. Seems that if you assume the root note is sixth string first fret, then its a F6. If however you consider the furst fret fifth string to be the root, then its a B flat Major 7 !

[charjo]

David,
It’s not unusual for one shape to have more than one chord name when you are dealing with extended chords. It’s just that a different note is taken as the root and the intervals have a different relation to the given root. The main example is that a tonic major 6 chord has the same shape as it’s relative minor, ie the minor chord based on the 6th interval in the key.
In this case, though, The F6 doesn’t have a Bb within it, so the Bbmaj7 would be an implied Bb major 7 with no root.
There are many duplicate shapes in extended chords where one of the pair is a rootless voice. One example is a C#min7b5 and the rootless voicing of an A9 (the Ellmore James chord).
The G6 and Cmaj7 would follow by the same logic.
John

[Michael L]

Rootless voicings are really common in jazz as the bass player generally would cover it and the guitarist would want to stay out of that lower register. Plus, an understanding of the upper-structure of the chords is great for jazz soloing vocabulary.

[David G]

Thanks Michael,

I get it now!

[David G]

Thanks Charjo,

Well explained. I get it now!

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