Major 7th chord · Ab root
Abmaj7 chord
- Ab1
- C3
- Eb5
- G7
The Ab major 7th chord (also called the G#maj7 chord — same notes, different spelling) is built from the notes Ab, C, Eb, G. A major 7th shape you will meet in barre-chord territory.
By Chiye · Updated
What is the Abmaj7 chord?
The Abmaj7 chord (Ab major 7th) is a major 7th chord built from four notes: Ab, C, Eb, G — the 1–3–5–7 of the Ab scale, 4 semitones and 7 semitones and 11 semitones above the root. On guitar it is most often played as a movable shape from fret 4 (4-6-5-5-4-4); shift all fretted notes together to transpose it along the neck. It is rated intermediate. A soft, jazzy chord heard all over neo-soul and bossa. Below you will find step-by-step fingering, 3 positions up the neck, audio of every shape, and the real progressions this chord lives inside.
How do you play the Abmaj7 chord on guitar?
Fret 4 barre — a movable shape, so this same fingering works for every root note.
- Lay your index finger flat across the low E to high E strings at fret 4, rolled slightly onto its bony edge.
- Press the A string at fret 6 with your ring finger.
- Press the D string at fret 5 with your middle finger.
- Press the G string at fret 5 with your middle finger.
- Strum all six strings and let every one ring.
Leave out the lowest fretted note (low E string) and practise the remaining strings. The bass changes, and the upper strings may still need a smaller barre; check that the third and other colour tones stay clear. x-6-5-5-4-4
How do you make Abmaj7 sound clean?
Abmaj7 is the Ab barre chord with the fourth string pulled back one fret, and players learn it as a brand-new grip. The hand then resets at the 4th fret every single time they move between the two.
Ab → Abmaj7 → Ab7 on one barre at the 4th fret: the fourth string steps 6 → 5 → 4 and nothing else moves. You can hear a triad turn into a jazz chord and then a dominant.
In real songs
Abmaj7 in songs
None of the 90 songs charted on this site use Abmaj7 yet — it is a colour chord rather than a songwriting staple.
What other ways can you play Abmaj7 up the neck?
2 more positions below. These are the same notes in a different part of the neck. Choosing the position closest to the chord you just played is what stops your hand jumping between changes.
Position 2 · Fret 6 barre
Because nothing rings open, you can move this whole shape to any fret and it keeps the same quality — only the letter name changes.
A single bar covers the rest of the strings here. If the inside strings stay dead, move the bar a millimetre closer to the fret wire before you try pressing harder.
Position 3 · Fret 11 barre
Every note here is fretted, which means the shape transposes anywhere on the neck without changing your fingers.
The barre is the only hard part of this shape. Keep the bar finger straight and use the weight of your arm rather than the grip of your thumb.
The theory behind Abmaj7
Abmaj7 is spelled Ab – C – Eb – G — the 1 – 3 – 5 – 7 of the Ab scale, which is the root plus 4 semitones, 7 semitones, 11 semitones. A soft, jazzy chord heard all over neo-soul and bossa.
The major seventh sits a semitone under the octave, which is why it sounds soft rather than tense. On guitar it is usually the highest fretted note, so it is also the first note to disappear if your finger rolls off.
Abmaj7 on other instruments
Ab – C – Eb – G — the highlighted black keys are the sharps or flats; play each note once, then move them into one hand position.
Take it to the practice room
