A♭m guitar chord
The A♭ minor 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♭m
- Notes
- A♭ – C♭ – E♭
- Formula
- 1 – b3 – 5
- Name
- A♭ minor
A♭mA♭ · C♭ · E♭
2 ways to play it · Tuning E A D G B E
- E shape · 4th fret
- D shape · 6th fret
What to play over A♭m
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.
- G# minor pentatonic scale
The safe start, and the sound of most rock and blues solos.
- G# Dorian mode
A minor with a brighter 6th — when the chord is a ii.
- G# natural minor scale
The natural minor, when the chord is the song’s home chord (i).
- G# Phrygian mode
Dark and Spanish-sounding, with the ♭2 — when the chord is a iii.
Questions
What notes are in a A♭m chord?
A♭m has 3 notes: A♭, C♭, E♭. Counted from the root, its formula is 1 – b3 – 5.
What scale goes with A♭m?
G# minor pentatonic scale is the place to start. The safe start, and the sound of most rock and blues solos.