A♭ Major 7th Guitar Chord (A♭maj7)
A♭ major 7th is a four-note chord built from A♭ (the root), C (the major third), E♭ (the perfect fifth), and G (the major seventh). It is what you reach for when a plain A♭ major is too plain — the same brightness, but with a soft-focus, jazzy glow layered on top. Below are 4 ways to play it in standard tuning, easiest shape first.
A♭maj7 chord shapes — standard tuning
How to play it
Lay your index finger flat across the top 4 strings (from the D (4th) string up) at fret 1 — that barre is the backbone of this A♭maj7 shape. Then add your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3, your ring finger on the high E (1st) string at fret 3, and your pinky finger on the low E (6th) string at fret 4. Strum all six strings.
Once that shape is comfortable, try the other 3 voicings above — same notes, different neck positions and textures.
Notes in this chord
| Symbol | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| R | root | A♭ |
| 3 | major third | C |
| 5 | perfect fifth | E♭ |
| 7 | major seventh | G |
Keep exploring
Other tunings
Open the interactive chord charts to see A♭maj7 in open G, drop D, DADGAD, and more tunings.
More A♭ chords
Nearby major 7th chords
A♭maj7 FAQ
What notes are in A♭maj7?
A♭maj7 contains A♭, C, E♭, and G — the root (A♭), the major third, the perfect fifth, and the major seventh.
Is A♭maj7 a barre chord?
The most common A♭maj7 shape (4-3-1-1-1-3) is a barre chord — your index finger bars fret 1 across 4 strings. There is no standard open-position shape for this chord in standard tuning, but the diagrams above include every practical alternative up the neck.
What is the easiest way to play A♭maj7 on guitar?
Start with the barre · 1fr shape 4-3-1-1-1-3. Lay your index finger flat across the top 4 strings (from the D (4th) string up) at fret 1 — that barre is the backbone of this A♭maj7 shape. Then add your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3, your ring finger on the high E (1st) string at fret 3, and your pinky finger on the low E (6th) string at fret 4. Strum all six strings.