A♭ Major 9th
A♭maj9
Notes
A♭ · C · E♭ · G · B♭
Intervals
- RootA♭ (1P)
- Major 3rdC (3M)
- Perfect 5thE♭ (5P)
- Major 7thG (7M)
- Major 9thB♭ (9M)
Fretboard
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
Voicings & shapes
Rootless voicings (A / B form) (4)
About
The A♭ major 9th (A♭–C–E♭–G–B♭) extends a maj7 with a ninth. The result combines the gentle shimmer of the major-7 interval with the openness of the B♭. The 3rd, 7th, and 9th are the essential tones — the 5th is typically dropped on guitar, since it adds little harmonic information and clutters the voicing. Common in jazz and R&B as a tonic or subdominant color. Compared to A♭Maj7, maj9 feels more expansive and less static; the added 9th breathes air into the chord without introducing tension. Compared to A♭6/9, it is more harmonically active because of the 7th.
Chord diagrams
Ab Major 9th 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)
- B♭ Dorian (VII)
- B♭ Mixolydian (VII)
- C Natural Minor (VI)
- C Phrygian (VI)
- D Locrian (V)
- D♭ Lydian (V)
- E♭ Major (IV)
- E♭ Mixolydian (IV)
- F Dorian (III)
- F Natural Minor (III)
- 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.