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A♭ Minor Guitar Chord (A♭m)

A♭m almost always shows up wearing its other name, G♯m, the relative minor of B and the iii of E. Either spelling, the grip is 466444, the Em shape barred at the fourth fret.

A♭m orders under a different name.

A♭m chord shapes in standard tuning

open string × muted / not played 1–4 suggested finger 3fr shape starts at fret 3 R · 3 · 5 · ♭7 chord tone each string sounds
A♭m guitar chord diagram, Barre · 4fr, frets 4-6-6-4-4-44fr1R253R♭35R
Barre · 4fr
4-6-6-4-4-4
A♭m guitar chord diagram, 1fr, frets 4-2-1-1-x-x4R3♭3152R××
1fr
4-2-1-1-x-x
A♭m guitar chord diagram, 6fr, frets x-x-6-8-9-76fr××1R354R2♭3
6fr
x-x-6-8-9-7
A♭m guitar chord diagram, Barre · 11fr, frets x-11-13-13-12-1111fr×1R354R2♭35
Barre · 11fr
x-11-13-13-12-11

How to play it

Lay your index finger flat across all six strings at fret 4. That barre is the backbone of this A♭m shape. Then add your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 6 and your ring finger on the D (4th) string at fret 6. Strum all six strings.

Notes in this chord

SymbolIntervalNote
RrootA♭
♭3minor thirdC♭ (same pitch as B)
5perfect fifthE♭

A♭m FAQ

What notes are in A♭m?
A♭m contains A♭, C♭, and E♭. That's the root (A♭), the minor third, and the perfect fifth.

Is A♭m a barre chord?
The most common A♭m shape (4-6-6-4-4-4) is a barre chord. Your index finger bars fret 4 across 6 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♭m on guitar?
Start with the barre · 4fr shape 4-6-6-4-4-4. Lay your index finger flat across all six strings at fret 4. That barre is the backbone of this A♭m shape. Then add your middle finger on the A (5th) string at fret 6 and your ring finger on the D (4th) string at fret 6. Strum all six strings.