transpose.siteChords in the key of A♭ (A♭ major)
Songs in A♭ use the seven notes of the A♭ major scale: A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G. The key signature has 4 (A♭ B♭ D♭ E♭). The seven chords built on these notes are the ones you will meet most in A♭.
Diatonic chords in A♭
| Degree | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triad | A♭ | B♭m | Cm | D♭ | E♭ | Fm | Gdim |
| Seventh | A♭maj7 | B♭m7 | Cm7 | D♭maj7 | E♭7 | Fm7 | Gm7(♭5) |
| Role | tonic (home) | subdominant side | tonic substitute | subdominant | dominant (tension) | tonic substitute, relative minor | dominant substitute |
I
ii
iii
IV
V
vi
Common progressions in A♭
- A♭ – E♭ – Fm – D♭ (I – V – vi – IV, the most common pop progression)
- A♭ – Fm – D♭ – E♭ (I – vi – IV – V, the '50s progression, ballads)
- Fm – D♭ – A♭ – E♭ (vi – IV – I – V, the same four chords with a minor feel)
- B♭m – E♭ – A♭ (ii – V – I, the classic jazz and ballad cadence)
- A♭ – D♭ – E♭ (I – IV – V, rock and blues basics)
Playing in A♭ with a capo
If the barre chords are hard, put on a capo and use the shapes of an easier key.
- Capo on fret 1 + play G shapes (chords in G)
- Capo on fret 4 + play E shapes (chords in E)
- Capo on fret 6 + play D shapes (chords in D)
To move a whole PDF score to an easier key, open it in the free PDF transposer: chords and TAB change together.
Relative minor: F minor
F minor (Fm) uses the same seven notes as A♭ major. If a song starts and ends on Fm, it is in F minor.
Chords in F minor: i Fm · ii° Gdim · III A♭ · iv B♭m · v Cm · VI D♭ · VII E♭ (C7 is common in place of v)
- Fm – D♭ – A♭ – E♭ (i – VI – III – VII, minor-key rock and ballads)
- Fm – B♭m – Cm – Fm (i – iv – v – i, minor-key basics (V7 often replaces v))
- Fm – E♭ – D♭ – E♭ (i – VII – VI – VII, a rock riff progression)