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A♭ minor major 7th chord on ukulele (A♭mMaj7)
Also called or written A♭mMaj7, A♭minmaj7, A♭mmaj7, A♭mM7, A♭ Minor Sharp 7 or A♭ Minor ♯7
A♭ minor major 7th contains A♭, C♭, E♭, and G. The 1st fret voicing stretches the hand across three frets, making it a demanding grip.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7
- Root positionA♭–C♭–E♭–GA♭mMaj71-3-3-2
- First inversionC♭–E♭–G–A♭A♭mMaj7/C♭12-11-11-11
- Second inversionE♭–G–A♭–C♭A♭mMaj7/E♭1-3-3-2
- Third inversionG–A♭–C♭–E♭A♭mMaj7/G12-11-11-11
How do you play an A♭ minor major 7th chord on ukulele?
A♭ minor major 7th is played at the 1st fret as 1 3 3 2: index finger on the G string at fret 1, ring finger on the C string at fret 3, pinky finger on the E string at fret 3 and middle 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 | 3 | E♭ (5) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 4 | G (7) |
| 1 (A) | 2 | 2 | C♭ (♭3) |
AdvancedThe stretch from the 1st fret on the G string to the 3rd fret on the C and E strings challenges smaller hands.
A♭minmaj7/C♭ inversion
A♭ minor major 7th is played at the 11th fret as 12 11 11 11: barre your index finger across fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 12 | 4 | 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 major 7th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7. The major 7th interval between A♭ and G gives the chord its tense, unresolved color. Compare it to A♭ minor, which stops at the perfect 5th and sounds settled.
What goes wrong with A♭ minor major 7th?
- Letting the G string buzz because the index finger is not close enough to the fret.
- Muting the A string with the palm while reaching for the 3rd fret.
When to use it
A♭ minor major 7th works as a passing chord in A♭ minor progressions, such as A♭ minor–A♭ minor major 7th–A♭ minor 7th. It suits jazz ballads and film noir textures where the raised 7th adds tension. Try it before A♭ minor or A♭ 5th.
Changing to and from A♭ minor major 7th
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 2nd fret gives A minor major 7th.
- From A♭ minor major 7th, lift the pinky and ring finger to move to A♭ minor.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret voicing keeps A♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. The A♭minmaj7/G inversion places G in the bass, creating a darker, leading-tone pull toward A♭ minor.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ minor major 7th written?
A♭ minor major 7th is written A♭mmaj7, A♭minmaj7, or A♭mM7. The ASCII root spelling is Ab. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What mistake do players make with this shape?
Players often flatten the pinky and mute the E string. Keep the pinky arched and press with the fingertip.
How does A♭ minor major 7th differ from A♭ minor 7th?
The displayed shape preserves only the supplied notes and interval formula. The major 7th creates a sharper, more dissonant sound.