Ab major chord
- Ablab
- Cdo
- Ebmib
Ab chord notes
Ab major stacks a major third on its root and a minor third on top, four semitones and then three. It sounds bright and settled, and chord charts write it as Ab.
| Note | Interval from the root | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| Ablab | Root1 | 0 |
| Cdo | Major third3 | 4 |
| Ebmib | Perfect fifth5 | 7 |
Ab chord inversions
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Ab's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.
Root position
Ab, C, Eb
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
First inversion
C, Eb, Ab
- Right hand
- 1-2-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
Second inversion
Eb, Ab, C
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-2-1
Keys that use Ab
In these major keys Ab is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.
- D-flat majorV
- E-flat majorIV
- A-flat majorI
Piano practice that remembers
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What notes are in the Ab chord?
Ab major (Ab) is Ab, C, Eb. In solfège that's lab, do, mib.
Which fingers play Ab?
In root position, the right hand plays 1-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.
Where does the Ab chord usually show up?
A major chord is the home chord of its own key and the IV and V of two neighbouring keys, so Ab turns up at the start and end of phrases and in almost every pop accompaniment.