Rootless Voicing

The FABE Voicing

The FABE Voicing (also known as the Type A / Position A box voicing) is the treble-register form of the four-note F–A–B–E cluster. It functions as twelve different chords depending on what the bass plays underneath — you hold one shape, and the harmony shifts every time the root changes.

Bass note

G7with G in the bass — same four keys on the keyboard, different harmonic function
FABEThe FABE VoicingRootless
F3♭7
A39
B33
E413

Bass clef

ModesPhrygianLydianMixolydianLocrianLydian DominantAltered Scale

12 Chord Interpretations

Same four pitch classes — twelve different chords depending on what the bass plays. Click a row to set the bass note.

#BassChordVoicing formula
1CCmaj711 · 13 · 7 · 3
2D♭D♭7alt3 · ♭13 · ♭7 · ♯9
3DDm6/9♭3 · 5 · 13 · 9
4E♭E♭7alt9 · ♯11 · ♭13 · ♭9
5EEsus(♭9)♭9 · 11 · 5 · 1
6FFmaj7♯111 · 3 · ♯11 · 7
7G♭G♭m(maj7)7 · ♭3 · 11 · ♭7
8GG7♭7 · 9 · 3 · 13
9A♭A♭7alt13 · ♭9 · ♯9 · ♭13
10AA9♭13 · 1 · 9 · 5
11B♭B♭maj75 · 7 · ♭9 · ♯11
12BBm7♭5♯11 · ♭7 · 1 · 11

Want the full picture? The voicings hub shows all three voicings side by side, plus the master modes-to-voicings reference that tells you which shape to reach for in any harmonic situation.