A♭ guitar chord
The A♭ major 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♭
- Notes
- A♭ – C – E♭
- Formula
- 1 – 3 – 5
- Name
- A♭ major
A♭A♭ · C · E♭
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 · 8th fret
What to play over A♭
Start with the chord's own notes — A♭, C, E♭ — 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♭ major pentatonic scale
The safe start: the chord’s own three notes plus the 2 and the 6, nothing that clashes.
- A♭ major scale
The full major scale, when the chord is the song’s home chord (I).
- A♭ Lydian mode
A brighter, floating sound with the ♯4 — when the chord is a IV.
- A♭ Mixolydian mode
The ♭7 gives it a bluesy, rock edge — when the chord is a V.
Questions
What notes are in a A♭ chord?
A♭ has 3 notes: A♭, C, E♭. Counted from the root, its formula is 1 – 3 – 5.
What scale goes with A♭?
A♭ major pentatonic scale is the place to start. The safe start: the chord’s own three notes plus the 2 and the 6, nothing that clashes.