Ab chord at the 1st fret (43111x)
- Fingering
- 43111x
- Fingers
- 3 2 1 1 1 –
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Position
- 1st fret
Notes in the Ab major chord
The Ab chord is made of A♭ · C · E♭. Its formula is 1–3–5.
| Note | Degree | Interval from Ab |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | 1 | root |
| C | 3 | major third |
| E♭ | 5 | perfect fifth |
How to play the Ab 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 3rd fret of the A string.
- Put your third finger on the 4th fret of the low E string.
- Do not play the high E string: mute it with the side of a fretting finger.
That is the 1st fret shape, 43111x. It is rated medium: 3 fingers, 5 strings, a 4-fret stretch.
Why your Ab chord buzzes or sounds muted
The shape spans 4 frets. Keep your thumb low behind the neck so your fingers can spread, and place the widest finger first.
Ab barre chord
Ab has 2 barre shapes here: 466544 (barre at the 4th fret) and 8-11-10-8-9-8 (barre at the 8th fret).
A barre shape has no open strings, so it moves. Slide any of them up one fret and you are playing A.
Songs that use Ab
- Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day): Fm Ab Eb Bb
- Stray Cat Strut (Stray Cats): Cm Bb Ab G7
- Mad World (Gary Jules): Fm Ab Eb Bb
Chord names only, as the songs are usually charted for guitar. Recordings may use a capo or another key.
Keys with the Ab chord
Ab is the V chord in Db major, IV chord in Eb major and I chord in Ab major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in Bb minor, VI chord in C minor and III chord in F minor.
Chords related to Ab
Every Ab chord on guitar
Ab guitar chord questions
How do you play an Ab chord on guitar?
Play 43111x, 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 3 2 1 1 1 -.
What notes are in the Ab chord?
The Ab major chord has 3 notes: Ab, C and Eb. Its formula is 1–3–5, counted from the Ab major scale.
What keys is the Ab chord in?
Ab is the V chord in Db major, IV chord in Eb major and I chord in Ab major. In minor keys it is the VII chord in Bb minor, VI chord in C minor and III chord in F minor.
Ab chord diagram to print or save
Printable Ab chord PDF (one letter page, black on white) · Ab chord PNG (1200 px)
