Root position A♭
A♭ – C – E♭
Right hand 1-3-5Left hand 5-3-1
A♭ Major Chord on Piano
A♭ A♭ C E♭ Formula 1 3 5 3 notes
Also written G♯ major: the same keys under another name.
Notes
What notes are in the A♭ Major chord?
The A♭ Major chord has 3 notes: A♭, C, E♭. Start on A♭, go up 4 half steps for the major third, then 3 more for the perfect fifth.
| Note | Interval from the root | Half steps |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | Root | 0 |
| C | Major 3rd | 4 |
| E♭ | Perfect 5th | 7 |
Inversions and fingering
Every way to play A♭ Major
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♭/C
C – E♭ – A♭
Right hand 1-2-5Left hand 5-3-1
2nd inversion A♭/E♭
E♭ – A♭ – C
Right hand 1-3-5Left hand 5-2-1
In real music
Songs that use A♭ Major
Pieces from the GOONS sheet music library where A♭ 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♭ Major
Every key where A♭ 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♭ Major chord?
The A♭ Major chord (A♭) is made of A♭, C, E♭. Its formula is 1 3 5 - the root, then the intervals of a major chord.
How do you play A♭ on the piano?
Put your right thumb on A♭ and play the other notes with fingers 1-3-5. With the left hand, use fingers 5-3-1 from the lowest key up.
What are the inversions of A♭?
root position A♭ (A♭ C E♭); 1st inversion A♭/C (C E♭ A♭); 2nd inversion A♭/E♭ (E♭ A♭ C).
Is A♭ Major the same as G♯ major?
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♭ and build a progression on it
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