A♭ chord on guitar
The A♭ chord, or A flat major, stacks 3 notes on A♭: A♭, C and E♭. Musicians write its formula 1 3 5.
Notes and intervals of A♭
Each note of A♭ has a job. Counted from the root, you get root (A♭), major 3rd (C) and perfect 5th (E♭). Change one of these intervals and you get a different chord, which is why the formula 1 3 5 is worth memorising rather than the shape alone.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | A♭ |
| 3 | major 3rd | C |
| 5 | perfect 5th | E♭ |
How to play A♭ on guitar
Start with the first diagram: 4 3 1 1 1 x, read from the 6th string (low E) to the 1st string (high E). Your lowest note is A♭. The next positions give the same notes in a different order, which is useful when you want A♭ to sit closer to the surrounding chords.
This is a barre or movable shape: keep your index finger straight and close to the fret, and press with the side of the finger rather than the flat pad.
Which keys use A♭?
A♭ appears naturally in 3 major keys: A flat major (I), D flat major (V) and E flat major (IV). In A flat major it is the I chord, so you will meet it in many songs written in that key and in its relative minor.
Scales to play over A♭
These scales share every note of A♭: A flat major scale, A flat major pentatonic scale, A flat Lydian mode and A flat Mixolydian mode. A flat major scale is the safest choice; the others add more colour.
About major chords
The major chord is the brightest and most stable sound in tonal music: root, major third and perfect fifth (1 3 5). The major third, four semitones above the root, gives it its open, confident character. It is the basic triad every other chord is measured against, and a song that ends on it sounds like it has come home.
Every style uses it, from folk to metal. In a major key the major chords are I, IV and V, enough for thousands of songs: I IV V I, the I V vi IV pop loop, the 12-bar blues. In a minor key they sit on ♭III, ♭VI and ♭VII, and V is often made major for a stronger cadence.
Learn the open shapes first (C, A, G, E, D), then the two movable barre shapes: the E-shape with its root on the 6th string and the A-shape with its root on the 5th string. Between them you can play any major chord anywhere on the neck. In rock, a power chord (root and fifth only) often stands in for it.
The classic slip is a minor third played by accident: one fret or one key lower and the mood flips. On guitar, check that the third is not muted under a finger. And a power chord (for example C5) is not a major chord: with no third it is neither major nor minor.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A♭ chord?
A♭ (A flat major) contains A♭, C and E♭. In intervals: root (A♭), major 3rd (C) and perfect 5th (E♭).
How do you play A♭ on guitar?
The easiest shape is 4 3 1 1 1 x, from the low E string to the high E string. This page shows 3 positions with finger numbers.
What scale goes with A♭?
A flat major scale fits A♭ best. Other scales that contain all its notes: A flat major pentatonic scale, A flat Lydian mode and A flat Mixolydian mode.
What key is A♭ in?
A♭ belongs to A flat major (I), D flat major (V) and E flat major (IV). In A flat major it is the I chord.
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