A♭ Major
A♭maj
Notes
A♭ · C · E♭
Intervals
- RootA♭ (1P)
- Major 3rdC (3M)
- Perfect 5thE♭ (5P)
Fretboard
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
Voicings & shapes
CAGED shapes (5)
Triad inversions (9)
Spread / open triads (8)
About
The A♭ major triad (A♭–C–E♭) is built from a root, major third, and perfect fifth. Its stability comes from the perfect fifth — the strongest consonant interval — anchored by the major third that gives it its bright, open character. It serves as the tonal center (I chord) in A♭ major and the target of resolution from the dominant. Common moves include A♭–D♭–E♭ (I–IV–V) and the E♭7–A♭ cadence (V–I) that defines tonal music. On guitar, the fifth can be doubled or omitted in dense voicings without losing identity, but the major third (C) is indispensable — it is the one note distinguishing major from minor and from a power chord. Compared to A♭m, the raised third is the entire difference in color.
Chord diagrams
Ab Major voicing charts — tap a sheet to open it full size to save or print.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- A♭ Lydian (I)
- A♭ Major (I)
- A♭ Major Pentatonic (deg 1)
- A♭ Mixolydian (I)
- A Diminished (deg 8)
- B♭ Dorian (VII)
- B♭ Mixolydian (VII)
- B♭ Natural Minor (VII)
- C Diminished (deg 6)
- C Harmonic Minor (VI)
- C Locrian (VI)
- C Natural Minor (VI)
- C Phrygian (VI)
- D Locrian (V)
- D♭ Harmonic Minor (V)
- D♭ Lydian (V)
- D♭ Major (V)
- D♭ Melodic Minor (V)
- E♭ Diminished (deg 4)
- E♭ Dorian (IV)
- E♭ Major (IV)
- E♭ Melodic Minor (IV)
- E♭ Mixolydian (IV)
- F Blues (deg 2)
- F Dorian (III)
- F Minor Pentatonic (deg 2)
- F Natural Minor (III)
- F Phrygian (III)
- F♯ Diminished (deg 2)
- F♯ Lydian (II)
- G Locrian (II)
- G Phrygian (II)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.