I've been using a derivitive of the open D form described above Low - G# D# G# C D# G# - High and it's minor form where the third string (C) would be dropped to B to create a A flat minor. Call me loony but I still laugh at the goofy jokes like, "What do ya get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft?" Maybe that's what drove me to explore Ab minor.

I've only just begun to explore the minor key variance after exploring the major form for many long years without any particular aid or hints from other players offering any kind of guidance. You'd think that I would have bought a book or something by now. The thing that I've found is that unless you're particularly adept at book learning, reading musical notes or tablature, it can get very confusing very quickly and without any assitance readily at hand to help translate or explain such hen scratchin's the exercise can be discouraging.