A♭maj7
Character: dreamy
- A♭Rtriad
- C3triad
- E♭5triad
- G7add
15 ways to play A♭maj7
Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.
- Triad note
- Substitute
- Added
- Anchored root
- Bass
- Doubling
Frets x 10 10 8 9 xNotes G C E♭ A♭Intervals 7 3 5 1Base triadA♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 11 10 8 8 8Notes A♭ C E♭ GIntervals 1 3 5 7Base triadA♭ major, root position
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x 11 10 12 9 11Notes C G A♭Intervals 3 7 1Base triadA♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets x 11 10 12 x xNotes A♭ C GIntervals 1 3 7Base triadA♭ major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 11 11 10 12 x xNotes E♭ A♭ C GIntervals 5 1 3 7Base triadA♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x 1 1 1 3Notes E♭ A♭ C GIntervals 5 1 3 7Base triadA♭ major, 2nd inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 4 3 5 1 1 4Notes C G A♭Intervals 3 7 1Base triadA♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 3 3 1 1 x xNotes G C E♭ A♭Intervals 7 3 5 1Base triadA♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 4 3 1 0 1 4Notes A♭ C E♭ GIntervals 1 3 5 7Base triadA♭ major, root position
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 4 3 5 5 4 4Notes A♭ C GIntervals 1 3 7Base triadA♭ major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 4 6 6 5 4 3Notes A♭ C E♭ GIntervals 1 3 5 7Base triadA♭ major, root position
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets x x 5 5 4 4Notes G C E♭ A♭Intervals 7 3 5 1Base triadA♭ major, 1st inversion
The 7th gets a string of its own.
Frets 4 x 6 5 8 xNotes A♭ C GIntervals 1 3 7Base triadA♭ major, root position
The 7th takes the 5th’s string.
Frets 4 6 5 5 x xNotes A♭ E♭ G CIntervals 1 5 7 3Base triadA♭ major, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.
Frets x x 6 8 8 8Notes A♭ E♭ G CIntervals 1 5 7 3Base triadA♭ major, 2nd inversion
The root drops to the string below the triad. The 7th takes the root’s string.
The construction rules A♭maj7 follows
Start from a triad
Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.
A third on top makes a 7th chord
A major 7th over a major triad is maj7, a ♭7 is a dominant 7. Over minor you get m7 or m(maj7); over diminished, m7♭5 or the °7, whose 7th is lowered twice.
On guitar, something has to give
Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.
The root can move down
When an extension needs the root’s string, the root can drop to the string below the triad: an anchored voicing keeps the bass and frees a string on top.
All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.
Major 7th in every key
More chords on A♭
A♭maj7 chord questions
What notes are in A♭maj7?
A♭maj7 is spelled A♭ C E♭ G: A♭ is the root, C is the 3rd, E♭ is the 5th, G is the 7th.
What is the formula of A♭maj7?
1 3 5 7. It is a A♭ major triad with the 7th stacked on top.
How many ways can you play A♭maj7 on guitar?
This page shows 15 voicings of A♭maj7, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.