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A♭7 chord

A♭7 (A♭ dominant seventh) is A♭, C, E♭ and G♭. It sounds bluesy and restless: it wants to move on, usually a fourth up. Also written G♯7 (G♯ B♯ D♯ F♯): the same keys.

A♭7

A♭ dominant seventh · A♭ C E♭ G♭ · 1 3 5 ♭7

CA♭E♭G♭

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Root
Chord

Tap keys on the piano to find which chord they make. The editor opens without an account.

Notes in the A♭7 chord

From A♭, count 4 half steps up to C, 3 more to E♭ and 3 more to G♭. Its formula is 1 3 5 ♭7: each number is the note’s place in the A♭ major scale, with ♭ a half step lower and ♯ a half step higher. On the piano it is one white key and three black keys (A♭, E♭ and G♭).

The notes of A♭7 and their intervals from A♭
NoteFormulaIntervalHalf steps up
A♭1Root0
C3Major third4
E♭5Perfect fifth7
G♭♭7Minor seventh10

A♭7 chord inversions

An inversion is the same chord with another of its notes at the bottom. It keeps the chord’s sound but moves your hand less between chords, which is why pianists use them all the time. The notes are listed lowest first.

Root position

A♭ C E♭ G♭

Written A♭7, with the root at the bottom.

1st inversion

C E♭ G♭ A♭

Written A♭7/C: C at the bottom.

2nd inversion

E♭ G♭ A♭ C

Written A♭7/E♭: E♭ at the bottom.

3rd inversion

G♭ A♭ C E♭

Written A♭7/G♭: G♭ at the bottom.

Keys with the A♭7 chord

A♭7 is built from the notes of these keys, so it fits songs in them. The Roman numeral says which note of the key it starts on. Each key’s page has its scale and all its chords.

Major keys
Minor keys

Raised 7th: the minor key with its seventh note a half step higher (harmonic minor), as most minor songs play their V and vii chords.

Chords that often come after A♭7

D♭D♭ F A♭A♭7 is the V7 of D♭: its seventh pulls straight home there.D♭mD♭ F♭ A♭The same pull into D♭m, home in the minor key.B♭mB♭ D♭ FA♭7 to B♭m is V7 to vi, the surprise ending (a deceptive cadence).

More piano chords

Other chords on A♭

A♭G♯mA♭maj7G♯m7A♭sus2A♭sus4A♭add9A♭9A♭6G♯dimG♯m7♭5G♯dim7A♭aug

Dominant seventh chords on other notes

C7C♯7D7E♭7E7F7F♯7G7A7B♭7B7

Or see every chord at once on the piano chords chart.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the A♭7 chord?

A♭7 is A♭, C, E♭ and G♭. On the piano that is one white key and three black keys (A♭, E♭ and G♭).

How do you play A♭7 on the piano?

With your right hand, play A♭, C, E♭ and G♭ with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 (thumb to little finger). With your left hand it is 5, 3, 2 and 1. From A♭, count 4 half steps up to C, 3 more to E♭ and 3 more to G♭.

What are the inversions of A♭7?

Root position: A♭ C E♭ G♭. 1st inversion: C E♭ G♭ A♭ (A♭7/C). 2nd inversion: E♭ G♭ A♭ C (A♭7/E♭). 3rd inversion: G♭ A♭ C E♭ (A♭7/G♭). The notes are the same; only the lowest one changes.

What key is A♭7 in?

In major keys, A♭7 is the V7 chord in D♭ major. In minor keys, it is the VII7 chord in B♭ minor and the V7 chord in C♯ minor (written G♯7, with its raised seventh).

Is A♭7 the same as G♯7?

On the piano, yes: the same keys. A♭7 (A♭ C E♭ G♭) is how it is usually written; as G♯7 it is G♯ B♯ D♯ F♯.

Can I make a beat with A♭7?

Yes. “Make a beat in D♭ major” opens the free editor with a lo-fi beat in D♭ major on D♭ A♭ B♭m G♭, the key where A♭7 is the V7 chord. Then change any part, add a melody and your voice, part by part. No account is needed to start.

Make a beat in D♭ major

Opens the free editor with a lo-fi beat in D♭ major on D♭ A♭ B♭m G♭, the key where A♭7 is the V7 chord. Then change any part, add a melody and your voice, part by part. No account needed to start.

Make a beat in D♭ majorAll piano chords

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