Tools / Chords / A♭ 7th sharp 5

A♭ 7th sharp 5 chord on bass (A♭7♯5)

Also written A♭7♯5, A♭ or A♭ Dominant 7th ♯5

A♭ 7th sharp 5 contains A♭, C, E, and G♭. The default voicing at the 12th fret uses a wide four-finger stretch.

A♭7♯5/E inversion12-11-10-11

Positions on the neck1 of 3

How it’s built

A♭1Root

C3Major 3rd

E♯5Augmented 5th

G♭♭7Minor 7th

Formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7

Positions on the neck1 of 3

Inversions

The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.

Root positionA♭–C–E–G♭A♭7♯5Bass A♭

First inversionC–E–G♭–A♭A♭7♯5/CBass C

Second inversionE–G♭–A♭–CA♭7♯5/EBass E

Third inversionG♭–A♭–C–EA♭7♯5/G♭Bass G♭

Why it sounds like that

A♭ 7th sharp 5 is built from the formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7. The augmented 5th, E, gives the chord its bright, tense sound. Compare it to A♭ 7th, which has a perfect 5th.

What goes wrong with A♭ 7th sharp 5?

Letting the pinky collapse and mute the A string.
Pressing the index finger too flat and buzzing the D string.
Striking the open E string instead of the 12th fret.

When to use it

A♭ 7th sharp 5 suits jazz, blues, and R&B lines that need a raised 5th. It pairs well with A♭ major and A♭ 7th.

Changing to and from A♭ 7th sharp 5

Sliding the shape down two frets to the 10th fret gives F♯ 7th sharp 5. Keep the finger spacing identical while shifting.
Move to A♭ 7th by lowering the D string from the 10th fret to the 9th fret; the other fingers stay in place.

Which voicing to use

The E inversion puts the augmented 5th in the bass, creating a tense, unstable sound. The G♭ inversion has the ♭7 in the bass and is easier to reach at the 2nd fret. Choose the E inversion for a more dissonant line.

How do you play an A♭ 7th sharp 5 chord on bass?

A♭7♯5/E inversion

Intermediate● On the diagram

A♭ 7th sharp 5 is played at the 10th fret as 12 11 10 11: pinky finger on the E string at fret 12, middle finger on the A string at fret 11, index finger on the D string at fret 10 and ring finger on the G string at fret 11.

Tip — The pinky must reach the 12th fret on the E string while the index holds the 10th fret on the D string.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	12	4	E (♯5)
3 (A)	11	2	A♭ (1)
2 (D)	10	1	C (3)
1 (G)	11	3	G♭ (♭7)

A♭7♯5/G♭ inversion · fret 1

Intermediate

A♭ 7th sharp 5 is played at the 1st fret as 2 3 2 1: middle finger on the E string at fret 2, pinky finger on the A string at fret 3, ring finger on the D string at fret 2 and index finger on the G string at fret 1.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	2	2	G♭ (♭7)
3 (A)	3	4	C (3)
2 (D)	2	3	E (♯5)
1 (G)	1	1	A♭ (1)

A♭7♯5/G♭ inversion · fret 13

Intermediate

A♭ 7th sharp 5 is played at the 13th fret as 14 15 14 13: middle finger on the E string at fret 14, pinky finger on the A string at fret 15, ring finger on the D string at fret 14 and index finger on the G string at fret 13.

String-by-string breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	14	2	G♭ (♭7)
3 (A)	15	4	C (3)
2 (D)	14	3	E (♯5)
1 (G)	13	1	A♭ (1)

Common questions

How is A♭ 7th sharp 5 written?

A♭ 7th sharp 5 is written as A♭7♯5 or A♭7+5. The ASCII root is Ab, so you may see Ab7#5. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

What is the difference between A♭ 7th sharp 5 and A♭ augmented?

A♭ 7th sharp 5 adds a minor 7th, G♭, to the augmented triad A♭–C–E. A♭ augmented has only the root, major 3rd, and augmented 5th. The 7th makes the chord dominant and more dissonant.

Can A♭ 7th sharp 5 be used as a passing chord?

A♭ 7th sharp 5 works as a passing chord between A♭ 7th and A♭ 9th. Its raised 5th creates tension that resolves to the next chord. Use it briefly on a weak beat.

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

E (♯5)

3 (A)

A♭ (1)

2 (D)

C (3)

1 (G)

G♭ (♭7)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

G♭ (♭7)

3 (A)

C (3)

2 (D)

E (♯5)

1 (G)

A♭ (1)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

4 (E)

G♭ (♭7)

3 (A)

C (3)

2 (D)

E (♯5)

1 (G)

A♭ (1)