A♭, major chord
A♭, C and E♭
- Root
- A♭
- Major third
- C
- Perfect fifth
- E♭
Formula
1 3 5 (4, 7 half steps above A♭)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | A♭ | C | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
A♭ major inversions
A♭ major has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
A♭
Root position
| Notes | A♭ | C | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
A♭/C
First inversion
| Notes | C | E♭ | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
A♭/E♭
Second inversion
| Notes | E♭ | A♭ | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with A♭ major
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. A♭ major appears as:
- I in A♭ major
- IV in E♭ major
- V in D♭ major
- VI in C minor
- III in F minor
- VII in B♭ minor
How A♭ major is built
A♭ is the root, C the major third and E♭ the perfect fifth.
A major chord is a root, the major third 4 half steps above it and the perfect fifth 7 half steps above it. Lower the middle note by one key and A♭ major becomes G♯ minor.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of A♭ major are A, C, E. That is why it is spelled A♭, C and E♭.
Find A♭ major yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of A♭ major, in any octave and any order.
Practice A♭ major in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the A♭ major chord?
A♭ major (A♭) has three notes: A♭, C and E♭. A♭ is the root, C the major third and E♭ the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for A♭ major on piano?
In root position, play A♭, C and E♭ with right hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of A♭ major?
A♭ major has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (A♭/C): C, E♭ and A♭. Second inversion (A♭/E♭): E♭, A♭ and C.
Is A♭ major the same as G♯ major?
On the piano, yes: they use the same keys. They are written differently, because a chord takes every other letter: A♭ major is A♭, C and E♭ and G♯ major is G♯, B♯ and D♯. A♭ major is the usual name: its key has 4 flats, while G♯ major would need 8 sharps, more than any written key has.