A♭7 guitar chord
The A♭ dominant 7th chord: every way to play it on the neck, the notes in it, and the scales that sound good over it.
What's in A♭7
- Notes
- A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭
- Formula
- 1 – 3 – 5 – b7
- Name
- A♭ dominant 7th
A♭7A♭ · C · E♭ · G♭
4 ways to play it · Tuning E A D G B E
- G shape · 1st fret
- E shape · 4th fret
- D shape · 6th fret
- C shape · 9th fret
What to play over A♭7
Start with the chord's own notes — A♭, C, E♭, G♭ — and land on them on the strong beats. Then reach for a scale; which one depends on the chord's job in the song.
- A♭ Mixolydian mode
The dominant chord’s own scale: its four notes plus the 2, 4 and 6.
- A♭ major pentatonic scale
Five notes that sit right on top of the chord.
- G# blues scale
For blues: the ♭3 rubbing against the chord’s 3 is the whole point.
- A♭ Phrygian dominant scale
When the chord resolves to a minor chord a fourth up (V7 to i): the ♭9 and ♭13 pull hard.
Questions
What notes are in a A♭7 chord?
A♭7 has 4 notes: A♭, C, E♭, G♭. Counted from the root, its formula is 1 – 3 – 5 – b7.
What scale goes with A♭7?
A♭ Mixolydian mode is the place to start. The dominant chord’s own scale: its four notes plus the 2, 4 and 6.