# What chord is represented by the six open guitar strings?



## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

For those who were wondering this video answers the question and also includes a pretty decent song using the open chord:


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

Haven’t watched the video but I think I would call it Em7sus4 or maybe Em7add4...


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Em7add4, though it's a shitty voicing.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Em 11?

This is the first song that I composed as a kid.
strumming pattern


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## jimmythegeek (Apr 17, 2012)

laristotle said:


> Em 11?
> 
> This is the first song that I composed as a kid.
> strumming pattern
> View attachment 433952


If the A was an octave higher I’d say so. Em7add4 with questionable voicing decisions works for me  I do love me some 11ths though. I think a root position Em11 would be:

O22005 or possibly even 022200 or 022205 if you’re wildly dexterous.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

jimmythegeek said:


> If the A was an octave higher I’d say so. Em7add4 with questionable voicing decisions works for me  I do love me some 11ths though. I think a root position Em11 would be:
> 
> O22005 or possibly even *022200* or 022205 if you’re wildly dexterous.


Wouldn't that (022200) simply be an Esus4? I don't see a 3rd or a 7th in that voicing but I'm no expert!


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## jimmythegeek (Apr 17, 2012)

gtrguy said:


> Wouldn't that (022200) simply be an Esus4? I don't see a 3rd or a 7th in that voicing but I'm no expert!


You’re quite right. I don’t know what I was thinking there.


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## Mutant_Guitar (Oct 24, 2021)

relative to Em11 is Gmaj6/9.
If you fret the 1st low or high F you get a G9/13. If you play the F# you get a Gmaj7(6/9)


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

Em11. I’ve played charts with this actual voicing written out for guitar.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Personal pedantics here. I prefer to call it Em7add4 rather than Em11 simply to distinguish which octave the A is in. Same notes by name, but when I see 11 I think top of the chord, and when I see 4 I think middle of the chord. Truth is though, once we hear it and/or play it a couple of times we just remember how we played it without much regard for what it's called. Oh, THAT thing, thinks I.

Heard a guy once who strummed it between most of his chord changes whenever he strummed too fast for his left hand to keep up. Sounded awful. 

I still think it's a shitty voicing, LOL.


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## Mutant_Guitar (Oct 24, 2021)

Mooh said:


> Personal pedantics here. I prefer to call it Em7add4 rather than Em11 simply to distinguish which octave the A is in. Same notes by name, but when I see 11 I think top of the chord, and when I see 4 I think middle of the chord. Truth is though, once we hear it and/or play it a couple of times we just remember how we played it without much regard for what it's called. Oh, THAT thing, thinks I.
> 
> Heard a guy once who strummed it between most of his chord changes whenever he strummed too fast for his left hand to keep up. Sounded awful.
> 
> I still think it's a shitty voicing, LOL.


you are right. It wouldn't sound out as an 11th anyway you play it, with the 4 in the middle it has more to do with 'quartal' voicings.


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## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

For those uncomfortable with E11, how about Asus9/E?


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## dgreen (Sep 3, 2016)

Jim Soloway said:


> For those uncomfortable with E11, how about Asus9/E?


That could be voiced as an A7(sus9)/E as that 7th (G) is not sharp and the important 3rd voicing is missing.
More commonly known as @Mooh had mentioned Em7 (add4) , seeing that the 4th note is lower then the Root note "E" ( remember there is an octave higher E in the open string which is also considered a root note)
Calling it an Em 11 would technically imply the 4th (11th) voicing "A" is higher then the root note "E"


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## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

dgreen said:


> That could be voiced as an A7(sus9)/E as that 7th (G) is not sharp
> More commonly known as @Mooh had mentioned Em7 (add4) , seeing that the 4th note is lower then the Root note "E" ( remember there is an octave higher E in the open string which is also considered a root note)
> Calling it an Em 11 would technically imply the 4th (11th) voicing "A" is higher then the root note "E"


When I see a 9 in a chord (other than an Add9) I just assume that it's a flatted 7 unless is specifies maj7. In my own usage though I would be entirely comfortable calling it an Em11.


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

Band geeks!


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Well yeah, I was assuming E was the root.


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## whyarecanadiangirlshot (2 mo ago)

Kenmac said:


> For those who were wondering this video answers the question and also includes a pretty decent song using the open chord:


The ur mom chord


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## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

It's D sus4 6/9 / E


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## Mutant_Guitar (Oct 24, 2021)

in order to disambiguate it needs a tonic 3rd. The 3rd occurs naturally over E, G, B


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## Delores Streisand (Nov 4, 2018)

G 6/9


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## Delores Streisand (Nov 4, 2018)

Cmaj13 (no root)


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