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Ab Guitar Chords
Every common Ab chord (also written G#) on guitar — major, minor, sevenths, sus, add9, diminished and more — with up to three ways to play each one, from open position to barre chords up the neck. Tap ▶ Strum to hear a shape, or Pick to hear it one string at a time.
Ab Ab major Notes: Ab – C – Eb · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 · Bright and stable — the most common chord there is.
Loop it Ab chord — EADGBE tuning (4-6-6-5-4-4) 4fr Ab Eb Ab C Eb Ab Barre, root on string 6, fret 4 4 6 6 5 4 4 ▶ Strum Pick Ab chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-8-9-8) 6fr × × Ab Eb Ab C Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 8 9 8 ▶ Strum Pick Ab chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-10-8-9-8) 8fr × Ab C Eb Ab C C-shape, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 10 8 9 8 ▶ Strum Pick
Abm Ab minor Notes: Ab – B – Eb · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 5 · Darker and sadder than major.
Loop it Abm chord — EADGBE tuning (4-6-6-4-4-4) 4fr Ab Eb Ab B Eb Ab Barre, root on string 6, fret 4 4 6 6 4 4 4 ▶ Strum Pick Abm chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-8-9-7) 6fr × × Ab Eb Ab B Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 8 9 7 ▶ Strum Pick Abm chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-13-13-12-11) 11fr × Ab Eb Ab B Eb Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 13 13 12 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Ab7 Ab dominant 7th Notes: Ab – C – Eb – Gb · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7 · Bluesy and restless; wants to move to the chord a fifth below.
Loop it Ab7 chord — EADGBE tuning (4-6-4-5-4-4) 4fr Ab Eb Gb C Eb Ab Barre, root on string 6, fret 4 4 6 4 5 4 4 ▶ Strum Pick Ab7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-8-7-8) 6fr × × Ab Eb Gb C Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 8 7 8 ▶ Strum Pick Ab7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-13-11-13-11) 11fr × Ab Eb Gb C Eb Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 13 11 13 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Abmaj7 Ab major 7th Notes: Ab – C – Eb – G · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 7 · Soft, dreamy and jazzy.
Loop it Abmaj7 chord — EADGBE tuning (4-X-5-5-4-X) 4fr × × Ab G C Eb Barre, root on string 6, fret 4 4 x 5 5 4 x ▶ Strum Pick Abmaj7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-8-8-8) 6fr × × Ab Eb G C Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 8 8 8 ▶ Strum Pick Abmaj7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-10-8-8-8) 8fr × Ab C Eb G C C-shape, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 10 8 8 8 ▶ Strum Pick
Abm7 Ab minor 7th Notes: Ab – B – Eb – Gb · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7 · Mellow minor — soul, R&B and jazz.
Loop it Abm7 chord — EADGBE tuning (4-6-4-4-4-4) 4fr Ab Eb Gb B Eb Ab Barre, root on string 6, fret 4 4 6 4 4 4 4 ▶ Strum Pick Abm7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-8-7-7) 6fr × × Ab Eb Gb B Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 8 7 7 ▶ Strum Pick Abm7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-13-11-12-11) 11fr × Ab Eb Gb B Eb Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 13 11 12 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Absus2 Ab suspended 2nd Notes: Ab – Bb – Eb · Formula: 1 – 2 – 5 · Open and airy: neither major nor minor.
Loop it Absus2 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-8-9-6) 6fr × × Ab Eb Ab Bb Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 8 9 6 ▶ Strum Pick Absus2 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-13-13-11-11) 11fr × Ab Eb Ab Bb Eb Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 13 13 11 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Absus4 Ab suspended 4th Notes: Ab – Db – Eb · Formula: 1 – 4 – 5 · Tense in a gentle way; usually resolves to major.
Loop it Absus4 chord — EADGBE tuning (4-6-6-6-4-4) 4fr Ab Eb Ab Db Eb Ab Barre, root on string 6, fret 4 4 6 6 6 4 4 ▶ Strum Pick Absus4 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-8-9-9) 6fr × × Ab Eb Ab Db Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 8 9 9 ▶ Strum Pick Absus4 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-13-13-14-11) 11fr × Ab Eb Ab Db Eb Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 13 13 14 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Abadd9 Ab add 9 Notes: Ab – Bb – C – Eb · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 9 · A major chord with sparkle on top.
Loop it Abadd9 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-10-8-11-8) 8fr × Ab C Eb Bb C C-shape, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 10 8 11 8 ▶ Strum Pick Abadd9 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-13-15-13-11) 11fr × Ab Eb Bb C Eb Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 13 15 13 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Ab6 Ab major 6th Notes: Ab – C – Eb – F · Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 6 · Sweet, vintage sound — swing and country.
Loop it Ab6 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-8-6-8) 6fr × × Ab Eb F C Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 8 6 8 ▶ Strum Pick Ab6 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-13-13-13-13) 11fr × Ab Eb Ab C F Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 13 13 13 13 ▶ Strum Pick
Abm6 Ab minor 6th Notes: Ab – B – Eb – F · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 5 – 6 · Minor with a mysterious, film-noir twist.
Loop it Abm6 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-8-6-7) 6fr × × Ab Eb F B Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 8 6 7 ▶ Strum Pick Abm6 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-13-13-12-13) 11fr × Ab Eb Ab B F Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 13 13 12 13 ▶ Strum Pick
Ab9 Ab dominant 9th Notes: Ab – Bb – C – Eb – Gb · Formula: 1 – 3 – (5) – ♭7 – 9 · Funky and soulful.
Loop it Ab9 chord — EADGBE tuning (4-6-4-5-4-6) 4fr Ab Eb Gb C Eb Bb Barre, root on string 6, fret 4 4 6 4 5 4 6 ▶ Strum Pick Ab9 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-10-11-11-11) 10fr × Ab C Gb Bb Eb Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 10 11 11 11 ▶ Strum Pick
Abdim Ab diminished Notes: Ab – B – D · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 · Tense and unstable — a passing chord.
Loop it Abdim chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-7-9-7) 6fr × × Ab D Ab B Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 7 9 7 ▶ Strum Pick Abdim chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-12-13-12-X) 11fr × × Ab D Ab B Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 12 13 12 x ▶ Strum Pick
Abdim7 Ab diminished 7th Notes: Ab – B – D – F · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – 𝄫7 · Dramatic and symmetrical: repeats every 3 frets.
Loop it Abdim7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-7-6-7) 6fr × × Ab D F B Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 7 6 7 ▶ Strum Pick Abdim7 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-12-13-12-13) 11fr × Ab D Ab B F Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 12 13 12 13 ▶ Strum Pick
Abm7b5 Ab half-diminished (m7♭5) Notes: Ab – B – D – Gb · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭7 · The ii chord of minor keys.
Loop it Abm7b5 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-7-7-7) 6fr × × Ab D Gb B Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 7 7 7 ▶ Strum Pick Abm7b5 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-12-11-12-X) 11fr × × Ab D Gb B Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 12 11 12 x ▶ Strum Pick
Abaug Ab augmented Notes: Ab – C – E · Formula: 1 – 3 – ♯5 · Dreamy and unresolved; repeats every 4 frets.
Loop it Abaug chord — EADGBE tuning (X-X-6-9-9-8) 6fr × × Ab E Ab C Root on string 4, fret 6 x x 6 9 9 8 ▶ Strum Pick Abaug chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-14-13-13-12) 11fr × Ab E Ab C E Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 14 13 13 12 ▶ Strum Pick
Ab5 Ab power chord (5) Notes: Ab – Eb · Formula: 1 – 5 · No 3rd, so it suits distortion — rock and metal.
Loop it Ab5 chord — EADGBE tuning (4-6-6-X-X-X) 4fr × × × Ab Eb Ab Barre, root on string 6, fret 4 4 6 6 x x x ▶ Strum Pick Ab5 chord — EADGBE tuning (X-11-13-13-X-X) 11fr × × × Ab Eb Ab Barre, root on string 5, fret 11 x 11 13 13 x x ▶ Strum Pick
Where Ab chords show up
Ab major is the I, IV or V chord in the keys of Eb, Ab, Db. Abm is the ii, iii or vi chord in E, B, F#. Try a progression that uses it in the progressions library , or find the key of your own song with the key finder .
How to read these chord diagrams
Strings run left to right from the thick low E (string 6) to the thin high E (string 1). A dot means press that fret; O above the nut means play the string open, × means don't play it. A bar across several strings is a barre — press them all with one finger. Red dots are the root note (Ab). The letters under each diagram are the notes that sound.
Not in standard tuning? The chord finder works out shapes for any tuning, and the tunings library has chord charts for 20 alternate tunings.
Questions How do you play a Ab chord on guitar? The most common Ab major shape is shown first on this page as a barre chord; the diagram shows which frets to press and which strings to skip.
What notes are in a Ab chord? Ab major contains Ab – C – Eb. Ab minor lowers the middle note by one fret.