Click on the chord symbol for a diagram and explanation of each chord type:
A♭ | A♭m | A♭sus2 | A♭sus4 | A♭maj7 | A♭m7 | A♭7 | A♭dim7 | A♭m7♭5
Chord Symbol: A♭ or A♭maj
The A♭ major triad consists of a root (A♭), third (C), and fifth (E♭). The distance between the root and the third is a major third interval (or four half-steps), and the distance between the third and the fifth is a minor third interval (or three half-steps). Major triads have a “happy” sound.
Chord Symbol: A♭m
The A♭ minor triad consists of a root (A♭), third (C♭), and fifth (E♭). The distance between the root and the third is a minor third interval (or three half-steps), and the distance between the third and the fifth is a major third interval (or four half-steps). Minor triads have a “sad” sound.
Chord Symbol: A♭sus2
In the A♭sus2 chord, the third of the A♭ major or minor chord (C or C♭) is replaced (“suspended”) with a major 2nd (B♭).
Chord Symbol: A♭sus4
In the A♭sus4 chord, the third of the A♭ major or minor chord (C or C♭) is replaced (“suspended”) with a perfect 4th (D).
Chord Symbol: A♭maj7
A major 7 chord is a major triad with an added seventh. The distance between the root and the seventh is a major 7th interval.
Chord Symbol: A♭m7
A minor 7 chord is a minor triad with an added seventh. The distance between the root and the seventh is a minor 7th interval.
Chord Symbol: A♭7
A dominant 7th chord is a major triad with an added seventh, where the distance between the root and the seventh is a minor 7th interval.
You can also think of dominant 7th chords as being built on the fifth note of a major scale and following that scale’s key signature. For example, A♭7 is built on A♭, the fifth note of D-flat major, and follows D-flat major’s key signature (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭).
Chord Symbol: A♭dim7
A diminished 7th chord is a four-note-chord where each note is a minor third apart. You can think of diminished 7th chords as a “stack of minor thirds.”
Chord Symbol: A♭m7♭5
The half-diminished chord is also called the “minor seven flat five” chord. It is a minor 7th chord where the fifth is lowered by a half-step.
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