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A♭ minor 7th chord on ukulele (A♭m7)
Also called or written A♭m7 or A♭min7
A♭ minor 7th contains A♭, C♭, E♭, and G♭. This advanced grip stretches the pinky to the 3rd fret while the index holds the 1st.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7
- Root positionA♭–C♭–E♭–G♭A♭m78-8-7-9
- First inversionC♭–E♭–G♭–A♭A♭m7/C♭11-11-11-11
- Second inversionE♭–G♭–A♭–C♭A♭m7/E♭1-3-2-2
- Third inversionG♭–A♭–C♭–E♭A♭m7/G♭4-6-4-6
How do you play an A♭ minor 7th chord on ukulele?
A♭ minor 7th is played at the 1st fret as 1 3 2 2: index finger on the G string at fret 1, pinky finger on the C string at fret 3, middle finger on the E string at fret 2 and ring finger on the A string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 1 | 1 | A♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 4 | E♭ (5) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 2 | G♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (A) | 2 | 3 | C♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach the 3rd fret on the C string while the index holds the 1st fret on the G string, creating a wide stretch.
A♭m7/G♭ inversion
A♭ minor 7th is played at the 4th fret as 4 6 4 6: index finger on the G string at fret 4, ring finger on the C string at fret 6, middle 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) | 4 | 1 | C♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (C) | 6 | 3 | G♭ (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 4 | 2 | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (5) |
7th fret
A♭ minor 7th is played at the 7th fret as 8 8 7 9: middle finger on the G string at fret 8, ring finger on the C string at fret 8, index finger on the E string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 2 | E♭ (5) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 3 | A♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 7 | 1 | C♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 9 | 4 | G♭ (♭7) |
A♭m7/C♭ inversion
A♭ minor 7th is played at the 11th fret as 11 11 11 11: barre your index finger across fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | G♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 11 | 1 (barre) | C♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (5) |
| 1 (A) | 11 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ minor 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7. The minor 7th interval between A♭ and G♭ gives the chord its smooth, dark color. Compare it to A♭ minor, which omits the ♭7.
What goes wrong with A♭ minor 7th?
- Letting the pinky collapse and mute the 2nd string.
- Pressing the index too flat and buzzing the 4th string.
When to use it
A♭ minor 7th suits funk, R&B, and atmospheric pop. It adds color to an A♭ minor or A♭ 5th.
Changing to and from A♭ minor 7th
- Slide the shape up one fret to the 2nd fret to play A minor 7th.
- Move to A♭ minor by lifting the pinky and strumming only the top three strings.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret voicing puts A♭ in the bass for a grounded sound. The A♭m7/B inversion at the 4th fret places C♭ in the bass, softening the chord. For a brighter top, use the A♭m7/D♯ inversion at the 8th fret.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ minor 7th written?
A♭ minor 7th is written as A♭min7 or A♭m7. The root is A♭, with ASCII spelling Ab. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between A♭ minor 7th and A♭ minor?
A♭ minor 7th adds the ♭7 note G♭ to the A♭ minor triad. This extra note creates a more sophisticated, jazzy sound. A♭ minor contains only A♭, C♭, and E♭.
Can I use A♭ minor 7th in a major key?
Yes, A♭ minor 7th is the vi chord in B major. It appears in progressions like I–V–vi–IV. In that role it adds a soulful color.
Is A♭ minor 7th a barre chord?
The default voicing at the 1st fret uses individual fingers, not a barre. However, the A♭m7/F♯ inversion at the 11th fret requires a full barre across all strings.