Guitar chord · Intermediate (barre)
A flat major chord (A♭) — guitar chord chart
A♭ is a major chord built on A♭. Its notes are A♭, C, E♭. Major chords sound bright, stable and resolved — the home base of most pop, rock and folk songs. It’s also written G♯.
A♭ chord charts
Numbers = fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little). ○ open string, × don’t play. Low E string on the left.
How to play A♭
- Lay your index finger flat across fret 4, from the 6th string to the 1st string (the barre).
- Ring (3) on the 5th string, fret 6 (E♭).
- Little finger (4) on the 4th string, fret 6 (A♭).
- Middle (2) on the 3rd string, fret 5 (C).
- Strum all six strings.
- Pick the strings one at a time: each note should ring clearly — if one buzzes, move that finger closer to the fret.
No barre yet? Put a capo on fret 1 and play the open G shape — it sounds as A♭. Work out other positions with the capo calculator.
Notes in A♭
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♭ | root |
| 3 | C | major 3rd |
| 5 | E♭ | perfect 5th |
Progressions with A♭
Drill these changes with the chord-change trainer and read how to change chords faster.
FAQ
- What notes are in the A♭ chord?
- A♭ (A flat major) has 3 notes: A♭, C, E♭.
- Is A♭ hard to play?
- It’s a barre chord, but with a capo on fret 1 you can use the open G shape instead. Expect a few weeks of practice for a clean barre.
- What’s the difference between A♭ and A♭m?
- A♭m is A♭ C♭ E♭. Major chords sound bright, stable and resolved — the home base of most pop, rock and folk songs.
- Is A♭ the same as G♯?
- Yes — they sound the same (enharmonic equivalents). Which name is used depends on the key of the song; the fingerings are identical.