A♭ Major Guitar Chord (A♭)
A♭ major is a three-note chord built from A♭ (the root), C (the major third), and E♭ (the perfect fifth). It rings out sunny and complete. Songwriters use it as a tonic — the chord a progression starts from and resolves back to — and it never sounds out of place. Below are 4 ways to play it in standard tuning, easiest shape first.
A♭ 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♭ shape. Then add your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3, your ring finger on the low E (6th) string at fret 4, and your pinky finger on the high E (1st) 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♭ |
Keep exploring
Other tunings
Open the interactive chord charts to see A♭ in open G, drop D, DADGAD, and more tunings.
More A♭ chords
- A♭ minor (A♭m)
- A♭ dominant 7th (A♭7)
- A♭ minor 7th (A♭m7)
- A♭ major 7th (A♭maj7)
- A♭ suspended 4th (A♭sus4)
Nearby major chords
A♭ FAQ
What notes are in A♭?
A♭ contains A♭, C, and E♭ — the root (A♭), the major third, and the perfect fifth.
Is A♭ a barre chord?
The most common A♭ shape (4-3-1-1-1-4) 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♭ on guitar?
Start with the barre · 1fr shape 4-3-1-1-1-4. 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♭ shape. Then add your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 3, your ring finger on the low E (6th) string at fret 4, and your pinky finger on the high E (1st) string at fret 4. Strum all six strings.