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A♭ augmented major 7th chord on ukulele (A♭augMaj7)
Also called or written A♭augMaj7, A♭augM7, A♭+M7, A♭M7#5, A♭maj+7, A♭ augmented major seventh or A♭ major seventh sharp five
A♭ augmented major 7th contains A♭, C, E, and G. The default voicing spans frets 8–10 and requires a stretch between the index and pinky.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♯5, 7
- Root positionA♭–C–E–GA♭augMaj79-8-8-10
- First inversionC–E–G–A♭A♭augMaj7/C12-12-12-11
- Second inversionE–G–A♭–CA♭augMaj7/E9-8-8-10
- Third inversionG–A♭–C–EA♭augMaj7/G12-12-12-11
How do you play an A♭ augmented major 7th chord on ukulele?
A♭ augmented major 7th is played at the 8th fret as 9 8 8 10: ring finger on the G string at fret 9, index finger on the C string at fret 8, middle finger on the E string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 9 | 3 | E (♯5) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 1 | A♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 2 | C (3) |
| 1 (A) | 10 | 4 | G (7) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach fret 10 on the 1st string while the index and middle fingers hold fret 8, requiring a wide stretch.
A♭augM7/C inversion
A♭ augmented major 7th is played at the 11th fret as 12 12 12 11: middle finger on the G string at fret 12, ring finger on the C string at fret 12, pinky finger on the E string at fret 12 and index finger on the A string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 12 | 2 | G (7) |
| 3 (C) | 12 | 3 | C (3) |
| 2 (E) | 12 | 4 | E (♯5) |
| 1 (A) | 11 | 1 | A♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ augmented major 7th is built from 1, 3, ♯5, and 7. The augmented 5th E gives the chord its bright, tense quality. Compared to A♭ major 7th, only the fifth is raised a semitone.
What goes wrong with A♭ augmented major 7th?
- The pinky collapses and mutes the 1st string instead of fretting fret 10 cleanly.
- The index finger leans on the 4th string, causing fret 9 to buzz.
When to use it
Use the supplied linked chords to hear its tension without adding unsupported harmony. A♭ augmented major 7th suits jazz and cinematic textures where the raised fifth adds tension. Try A♭ augmented major 7th before A♭ major or A♭ major 7th.
Changing to and from A♭ augmented major 7th
- Slide the shape down two frets to the 6th fret to reach F♯ augmented major 7th.
Which voicing to use
The A♭augM7/E inversion places E in the bass for a darker, unstable sound. The A♭augM7/G inversion, with G in the bass, is brighter and more resolved.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ augmented major 7th written?
A♭ augmented major 7th is written A♭+M7, M7#5, maj+7, or A♭augM7. The ASCII root spelling is Ab. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between A♭ augmented major 7th and A♭ major 7th?
A♭ augmented major 7th has a raised fifth, E, while A♭ major 7th has E♭. The raised fifth creates a more dissonant, tense sound.
Why does A♭ augmented major 7th have no tritone?
A♭ augmented major 7th contains no tritone because the interval between C and G is a perfect fifth, not a diminished fifth.