A-flat major seventh chord (Abmaj7)
The A♭ major seventh chord (A♭maj7) is a major seventh chord: a major triad with a major seventh on top, A♭, C, E♭ and G (root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh).
It is the Imaj7 in A♭ major and the IVmaj7 in E♭ major; its relative is F minor seventh, 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 seventh on guitar
There are 2 guitar voicings.
Frets from the 6th string to the 1st: x = not played, 0 = open string.
- Voicing 1: 4-6-5-5-4-4, barre at fret 4, with A♭ in the bass (fingers 1-4-2-3-1-1).
- Voicing 2: x-11-13-12-13-11, movable A-shape barre chord at fret 11, with A♭ in the bass.
Notes of the A♭ major seventh chord on the fretboard
A♭ major seventh has 4 notes: A♭, C, E♭ and G. This is where they fall on each string, from the nut to the 12th fret (fret number in parentheses):
- String 6 (E): G (3) · A♭ (4) · C (8) · E♭ (11)
- String 5 (A): C (3) · E♭ (6) · G (10) · A♭ (11)
- String 4 (D): E♭ (1) · G (5) · A♭ (6) · C (10)
- String 3 (G): G (0) · A♭ (1) · C (5) · E♭ (8) · G (12)
- String 2 (B): C (1) · E♭ (4) · G (8) · A♭ (9)
- String 1 (E): G (3) · A♭ (4) · C (8) · E♭ (11)
Formula and intervals of A♭ major seventh
Its formula is 1-3-5-7; in semitones from the root, 0-4-7-11.
- 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♭
- G: Major seventh (M7), 11 semitones above A♭
A♭ major seventh on ukulele
- Ukulele (G C E A): 1-3-3-3; it sounds A♭, E♭, G and C.
A♭ major seventh on piano
- Keys: A♭4, C5, E♭5 and G5.
Inversions of A♭ major seventh
Each inversion puts a different note in the bass.
- Root position: A♭, C, E♭ and G, with A♭ in the bass.
- First inversion (A♭maj7/C): C, E♭, G and A♭, with C in the bass.
- Second inversion (A♭maj7/E♭): E♭, G, A♭ and C, with E♭ in the bass.
- Third inversion (A♭maj7/G): G, A♭, C and E♭, with G in the bass.
Keys that use A♭ major seventh
A♭ major seventh appears in 4 major and minor keys.
| Key | Degree | Function |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ major (4 flats) | Imaj7 | Tonic |
| E♭ major (3 flats) | IVmaj7 | Subdominant |
| F minor (4 flats) | IIImaj7 | Mediant |
| C minor (3 flats) | VImaj7 | Submediant |
Progressions with A♭ major seventh
- Jazz ii–V–I in A♭ major (ii7–V7–Imaj7): B♭m7 – E♭7 – A♭maj7
A♭ major seventh or G♯ major seventh?
A♭ major seventh (A♭maj7) and G♯ major seventh (G♯maj7) 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 seventh in flat keys and G♯ major seventh in sharp keys.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A♭ major seventh chord?
A♭, C, E♭ and G: root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh. Its formula is 1-3-5-7.
Which keys use A♭ major seventh?
Mainly as the Imaj7 in A♭ major and the IVmaj7 in E♭ major. In total it appears in 4 major and minor keys.
Is G♯ major seventh the same chord as A♭ major seventh?
Yes: G♯ major seventh and A♭ major seventh sound the same and are played the same way. It is written A♭ major seventh in flat keys and G♯ major seventh in sharp keys.
What is the difference between A♭ major seventh and a dominant seventh chord?
The seventh: in A♭ major seventh (A♭, C, E♭ and G) it is major, a half step below the octave, while in a dominant seventh it is minor. That is why A♭ major seventh sounds stable, like a chord of rest, and a dominant seventh wants to resolve.