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A/B

  1. B2bass
  2. ARtriad
  3. C♯3triad
  4. E5triad
Open A/B in the chord libraryDownload the A/B chart (PDF)
Voicings

3 ways to play A/B

Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.

  • Triad note
  • Substitute
  • Added
  • Anchored root
  • Bass
  • Doubling
AA shape 2nd inversion A/B
1 2 3 4 3 R 5 2

Frets x 2 2 2 2 xNotes B E A C♯Intervals 2 5 1 3Base triadA major, 2nd inversion

EE shape 2nd inversion A/B
5 6 7 8 3 R 5 2

Frets 7 7 7 6 x xNotes B E A C♯Intervals 2 5 1 3Base triadA major, 2nd inversion

DD shape 2nd inversion A/B
7 8 9 10 3 R 5 2

Frets x x 9 9 10 9Notes B E A C♯Intervals 2 5 1 3Base triadA major, 2nd inversion

The rules

The construction rules A/B follows

  1. Start from a triad

    Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.

  2. A slash names the bass

    Chord/bass puts any note under a triad. A chord tone gives an inversion, such as C/E; another note gives a new chord: G/F is G7 with the 7th in the bass.

All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.

Major triad over the 2nd in every key

More chords on A

A/B chord questions

What notes are in A/B?

A/B is spelled B A C♯ E: B is the 2nd, A is the root, C♯ is the 3rd, E is the 5th.

What is the formula of A/B?

2 1 3 5. It is a A major triad, over B in the bass.

How many ways can you play A/B on guitar?

This page shows 3 voicings of A/B, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.