Explore chords · Ukulele
A♭ chord on ukulele (A♭ major)
Also called or written A♭, A♭maj, A♭M or A♭ chord
A♭ major contains A♭, C and E♭. The 6th fret shape is an intermediate grip that mutes the G string and uses three fretted notes.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5
How do you play an A♭ major chord on ukulele?
A♭ major is played at the 6th fret as × 8 8 6: middle finger on the C string at fret 8, ring finger on the E string at fret 8 and index finger on the A string at fret 6. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 2 | A♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 3 | C (3) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 1 | E♭ (5) |
IntermediateThe 6th fret shape requires muting the G string while fretting three other strings, which can be tricky for intermediate players.
A♭/E♭ inversion
A♭ major is played at the 3rd fret as 5 3 4 3: pinky finger on the G string at fret 5, index finger on the C string at fret 3, ring finger on the E string at fret 4 and middle finger on the A string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 4 | C (3) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 1 | E♭ (5) |
| 2 (E) | 4 | 3 | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 2 | C (3) |
6th fret · 8-8-8-6
A♭ major is played at the 6th fret as 8 8 8 6: middle finger on the G string at fret 8, ring finger on the C string at fret 8, pinky finger on the E string at fret 8 and index finger on the A string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 2 | E♭ (5) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 3 | A♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 4 | C (3) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 1 | E♭ (5) |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ major is built from the root, major third and perfect fifth — 1, 3, 5. The major third C gives the chord its bright quality. Lower that third by one semitone to C♭ and you get A♭ minor.
What goes wrong with A♭ major?
- Letting the G string ring out and add a non-chord tone.
- Not pressing the C and E strings firmly enough, causing a buzz.
- Accidentally muting the A string with the index finger.
When to use it
A♭ major is the tonic in A♭ major, heard in progressions like A♭–D♭–E♭, the I–IV–V–I. It also fits the I–V–vi–IV in A♭ major: A♭–E♭–F minor–D♭. Use it for jazz, ballads and songs in flat keys. Compare A♭ 5th for a leaner two-note sound.
Changing to and from A♭ major
- Move to A major by shifting the whole shape up one fret, keeping the same finger pattern.
- Slide the 6th fret shape down two frets to the 4th fret to reach F♯ major.
Which voicing to use
The 6th fret shape is the default, but the A♭/C inversion is easier for some players because it uses all four strings. The A♭/E♭ inversion puts the fifth in the bass for a fuller sound.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ major written?
A♭ major is written as A♭, A♭maj or A♭M. The ASCII root is Ab. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between A♭ major and A♭ minor?
A♭ major has a major third, C, while A♭ minor has a minor third, C♭. This changes the chord from bright to sombre.
Why is the G string muted in the 6th fret A♭ major shape?
The open G string is not a chord tone, so it is muted to keep the chord clean and avoid an outside note.