Ab7 chord at the 1st fret (xx1112)
- Fingering
- xx1112
- Fingers
- – – 1 1 1 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Position
- 1st fret
Notes in the Ab dominant 7th chord
The Ab7 chord is made of A♭ · C · E♭ · G♭. Its formula is 1–3–5–♭7.
| Note | Degree | Interval from Ab |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | 1 | root |
| C | 3 | major third |
| E♭ | 5 | perfect fifth |
| G♭ | ♭7 | minor seventh |
How to play the Ab7 guitar chord
- Lay your first finger flat across the 1st fret, from the D string to the B string.
- Put your second finger on the 2nd fret of the high E string.
- Strum from the D string down and leave the low E and A strings out.
That is the 1st fret shape, xx1112. It is rated easy: 2 fingers, 4 strings.
Why your Ab7 chord buzzes or sounds muted
Low E and A strings are not part of this Ab7 shape. Start your strum on the D string, or rest your thumb on the unused strings to keep them quiet.
Ab7 barre chord
Ab7 has 2 barre shapes here: 464544 (barre at the 4th fret) and 11-11-13-11-13-11 (barre at the 11th fret).
A barre shape has no open strings, so it moves. Slide any of them up one fret and you are playing A7.
Songs that use Ab7
- Blue Bossa (Jazz standard): Cm7 Fm7 Dm7b5 G7 Ebm7 Ab7 Dbmaj7
- Just the Two of Us (Grover Washington Jr.): Dbmaj7 C7 Fm7 Ebm7 Ab7
Chord names only, as the songs are usually charted for guitar. Recordings may use a capo or another key.
Keys with the Ab7 chord
Ab7 is the V chord in Db major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in Bb minor.
Chords related to Ab7
Ab7 guitar chord questions
How do you play an Ab7 chord on guitar?
Play xx1112, reading from the low E string to the high E string. An x means the string is not played and a 0 means it rings open. The fingers used are - - 1 1 1 2.
What notes are in the Ab7 chord?
The Ab dominant 7th chord has 4 notes: Ab, C, Eb and Gb. Its formula is 1–3–5–♭7, counted from the Ab major scale.
What keys is the Ab7 chord in?
Ab7 is the V chord in Db major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in Bb minor.
Ab7 chord diagram to print or save
Printable Ab7 chord PDF (one letter page, black on white) · Ab7 chord PNG (1200 px)
