Root position A♭7
A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-3-2-1
A♭7 Chord on Piano
A♭7 A♭ C E♭ G♭ Formula 1 3 5 b7 4 notes
Also written G♯ 7: the same keys under another name.
Notes
What notes are in the A♭7 chord?
The A♭7 chord has 4 notes: A♭, C, E♭, G♭. It is the major triad with a minor seventh on top (10 half steps above A♭): the dominant chord that pulls towards a key a fifth below.
| Note | Interval from the root | Half steps |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | Root | 0 |
| C | Major 3rd | 4 |
| E♭ | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| G♭ | Minor 7th | 10 |
Inversions and fingering
Every way to play A♭7
The same notes in a different order. The lowest note changes the name after the slash; the fingering below is the usual one - right hand from the lowest key up, left hand from the lowest key up too.
1st inversion A♭7/C
C – E♭ – G♭ – A♭
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-4-2-1
2nd inversion A♭7/E♭
E♭ – G♭ – A♭ – C
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-3-2-1
3rd inversion A♭7/G♭
G♭ – A♭ – C – E♭
Right hand 1-2-3-5Left hand 5-3-2-1
In real music
Songs that use A♭7
Pieces from the GOONS sheet music library where A♭7 holds for at least two bars of our arrangement (read from the score, root in the bass).
Where it lives
Keys and scales with A♭7
Every key where A♭7 is one of the seven chords, with its Roman numeral, and the scales whose notes include all of it - the ones to improvise over it.
In these keys
Scales that contain all its notes
Questions
Frequently asked
What notes are in the A♭7 chord?
The A♭7 chord (A♭7) is made of A♭, C, E♭, G♭. Its formula is 1 3 5 b7 - the root, then the intervals of a dominant 7th chord.
How do you play A♭7 on the piano?
Put your right thumb on A♭ and play the other notes with fingers 1-2-3-5. With the left hand, use fingers 5-3-2-1 from the lowest key up.
What are the inversions of A♭7?
root position A♭7 (A♭ C E♭ G♭); 1st inversion A♭7/C (C E♭ G♭ A♭); 2nd inversion A♭7/E♭ (E♭ G♭ A♭ C); 3rd inversion A♭7/G♭ (G♭ A♭ C E♭).
Is A♭7 the same as G♯ 7?
On the piano, yes: the same keys. The name changes with the key you are in - sharps in sharp keys, flats in flat keys.
Play it for real
Hold A♭7 and build a progression on it
The GOONS piano studio has up to 88 keys, real piano samples, MIDI keyboard support, chord pads in any key and a sequencer. It comes with the GOONS Studio subscription - start with the 7-day free trial, no card required.