A-flat major chord (Ab)
The A♭ major chord (A♭) is a major triad made of A♭, C and E♭: root, major third and perfect fifth.
It is the I in A♭ major and the IV in E♭ major; its relative minor is F minor, and E♭ dominant seventh leads into it as its V7.
Below: voicings, notes on the fretboard, ukulele, piano, inversions and progressions.
How to play A♭ major on guitar
There are 2 guitar voicings.
Frets from the 6th string to the 1st: x = not played, 0 = open string.
- Voicing 1: 4-6-6-5-4-4, barre at fret 4, with A♭ in the bass (fingers 1-3-4-2-1-1).
- Voicing 2: x-11-13-13-13-11, movable A-shape barre chord at fret 11, with A♭ in the bass.
Notes of the A♭ major chord on the fretboard
A♭ major has 3 notes: A♭, C and E♭. This is where they fall on each string, from the nut to the 12th fret (fret number in parentheses):
- String 6 (E): A♭ (4) · C (8) · E♭ (11)
- String 5 (A): C (3) · E♭ (6) · A♭ (11)
- String 4 (D): E♭ (1) · A♭ (6) · C (10)
- String 3 (G): A♭ (1) · C (5) · E♭ (8)
- String 2 (B): C (1) · E♭ (4) · A♭ (9)
- String 1 (E): A♭ (4) · C (8) · E♭ (11)
Formula and intervals of A♭ major
Its formula is 1-3-5; in semitones from the root, 0-4-7.
- A♭: Root, the note that gives the chord its name
- C: Major third (M3), 4 semitones above A♭
- E♭: Perfect fifth (P5), 7 semitones above A♭
A♭ major on ukulele
- Ukulele (G C E A): 1-3-4-3; it sounds A♭, E♭, A♭ and C.
A♭ major on piano
- Keys: A♭4, C5 and E♭5.
Inversions of A♭ major
Each inversion puts a different note in the bass.
- Root position: A♭, C and E♭, with A♭ in the bass.
- First inversion (A♭/C): C, E♭ and A♭, with C in the bass.
- Second inversion (A♭/E♭): E♭, A♭ and C, with E♭ in the bass.
Keys that use A♭ major
A♭ major appears in 7 major and minor keys.
| Key | Degree | Function |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ major (4 flats) | I | Tonic |
| E♭ major (3 flats) | IV | Subdominant |
| D♭ major (5 flats) | V | Dominant |
| F minor (4 flats) | III | Mediant |
| C minor (3 flats) | VI | Submediant |
| B♭ minor (5 flats) | VII | Subtonic |
| C♯ minor (harmonic minor, 4 sharps) | V (written G♯) | Dominant |
Progressions with A♭ major
- Pop progression in A♭ major (I–V–vi–IV): A♭ – E♭ – Fm – D♭
- Pop progression starting on vi in A♭ major (vi–IV–I–V): Fm – D♭ – A♭ – E♭
- Three-chord progression in A♭ major (I–IV–V): A♭ – D♭ – E♭
- Turnaround in A♭ major (I–vi–ii–V): A♭ – Fm – B♭m – E♭
- Minor pop progression in C minor (i–VI–III–VII): Cm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭
A♭ major or G♯ major?
A♭ major (A♭) and G♯ major (G♯) are the same chord with two names: they sound the same and use the same frets.
The spelling depends on the key: it is written A♭ major in flat keys and G♯ major in sharp keys.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A♭ major chord?
A♭, C and E♭: root, major third and perfect fifth. Its formula is 1-3-5.
Which keys use A♭ major?
Mainly as the I in A♭ major and the IV in E♭ major. In total it appears in 7 major and minor keys.
Is G♯ major the same chord as A♭ major?
Yes: G♯ major and A♭ major sound the same and are played the same way. It is written A♭ major in flat keys and G♯ major in sharp keys.
What is the relative minor of A♭ major?
F minor. A♭ major and F minor are the tonic chords of two relative keys, which share the same key signature and the same scale notes.