Explore chords · Ukulele
A♭ 7th chord on ukulele (A♭7)
Also called or written A♭7, A♭, A♭ Dominant 7th or A♭ Major Minor 7th
A♭ 7th is built from A♭, C, E♭, and G♭. This advanced shape stretches all four fingers across the first three frets.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7
- Root positionA♭–C–E♭–G♭A♭78-8-8-9
- First inversionC–E♭–G♭–A♭A♭7/C11-12-11-11
- Second inversionE♭–G♭–A♭–CA♭7/E♭1-3-2-3
- Third inversionG♭–A♭–C–E♭A♭7/G♭5-6-4-6
How do you play an A♭ 7th chord on ukulele?
A♭ 7th is played at the 1st fret as 1 3 2 3: index finger on the G string at fret 1, ring finger on the C string at fret 3, middle finger on the E string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 1 | 1 | A♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 3 | E♭ (5) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 2 | G♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach the 3rd fret on the A string while the index stays on the 1st fret of the G string, stretching the hand.
A♭7/G♭ inversion
A♭ 7th is played at the 4th fret as 5 6 4 6: middle finger on the G string at fret 5, ring finger on the C string at fret 6, index finger on the E string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 2 | C (3) |
| 3 (C) | 6 | 3 | G♭ (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 4 | 1 | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (5) |
8th fret
A♭ 7th is played at the 8th fret as 8 8 8 9: barre your index finger across fret 8 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (5) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (3) |
| 1 (A) | 9 | 4 | G♭ (♭7) |
A♭7/C inversion
A♭ 7th is played at the 11th fret as 11 12 11 11: index finger on the G string at fret 11, pinky finger on the C string at fret 12, middle finger on the E string at fret 11 and ring finger on the A string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 11 | 1 | G♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 12 | 4 | C (3) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 2 | E♭ (5) |
| 1 (A) | 11 | 3 | A♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ 7th uses the formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7. The minor 7th interval from A♭ to G♭ gives the chord its dominant quality. Compare it to A♭ major, which raises the ♭7 to a major 7th.
What goes wrong with A♭ 7th?
- Letting the pinky collapse and mute the C string next to it.
- Pressing the middle finger too flat, which deadens the C string.
- Strumming the G string too hard and buzzing the index finger.
When to use it
A♭ 7th functions as the V chord in C♯ major, resolving to C♯ major. It suits blues, funk, and rock for a strong dominant pull. In the I–IV–V–I progression in C♯ major, A♭ 7th is the V chord.
Changing to and from A♭ 7th
- Move to A 7th by sliding the whole shape up one fret, keeping all fingers in place.
- Move to B♭ 7th by sliding the whole shape up two frets, keeping all fingers in place.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret voicing puts A♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. The A♭7/E♭ inversion at the 8th fret places E♭ in the bass, giving a second-inversion feel. Choose the root position for a solid foundation, or the E♭ inversion for a lighter, more open sound.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ 7th written?
A♭ 7th is written as A♭7 or A♭. The ASCII root is Ab, so you can type Ab7. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between A♭7 and A♭ major?
A♭7 adds a minor 7th, G♭, while A♭ major has a major 7th, G. The minor 7th creates a dominant sound that pulls toward the tonic.
Why is A♭7 called a dominant 7th chord?
A♭7 is called a dominant 7th because it is built on the fifth degree of the C♯ major scale. Its tritone between C and G♭ creates tension that resolves to C♯ major.
Can I play A♭7 with a barre?
The 1st fret voicing uses individual fingers, not a barre. The A♭7/E♭ inversion at the 8th fret uses a barre across the 8th fret.