What notes are in the Abmaj9 chord?

Abmaj9 is made of Ab, C, Eb, G and Bb — the 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 degrees of a major ninth chord built on Ab.

What keys use the Abmaj9 chord?

Every note of Abmaj9 belongs to 4 keys: Eb Major (IV), Ab Major (I), C Minor (VI), F Minor (III). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.

How do you play Abmaj9 on guitar and piano?

This page shows Abmaj9 on guitar, piano and ukulele — 6 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is Abmaj9 the same as G#maj9?

Yes. Abmaj9 and G#maj9 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Abmaj9 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · Ab Major 9th

A♭maj9 Chord

A♭maj9 is Ab, C, Eb, G and Bb — lush, gentle; jazz ballads and neo-soul.

Hear it

A♭maj9 on every instrument

The same 5 notes, 3 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

Guitar1 voicing

Piano4 voicings

Ukulele1 voicing

What A♭maj9 is made of

Ab Major 9th (Ab major 9th) is built from the notes Ab, C, Eb, G, Bb, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. A common major 9th chord across many styles.

Stack 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 on a root of A♭ and you get Ab, C, Eb, G and Bb. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major ninth chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why Cmaj9 sounds like a transposed A♭maj9.

Major 9th: Lush, gentle; jazz ballads and neo-soul.

Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with A♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain A♭maj9

All 5 notes sit inside the scale of 4 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Major keys

Minor keys

Other chords on A♭

Same root, different colour.

A♭Ab Major A♭augAb Augmented A♭sus2Ab Suspended 2nd A♭sus4Ab Suspended 4th A♭5Ab Power Chord A♭6Ab Major 6th A♭6/9Ab 6/9 A♭7Ab Dominant 7th

The same major ninth shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

Cmaj9C Major 9th Dmaj9D Major 9th Emaj9E Major 9th Fmaj9F Major 9th Gmaj9G Major 9th Amaj9A Major 9th Bmaj9B Major 9th F♯maj9F# Major 9th

Questions people ask about Abmaj9

What notes are in the Abmaj9 chord?: Abmaj9 is made of Ab, C, Eb, G and Bb — the 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 degrees of a major ninth chord built on Ab.
What keys use the Abmaj9 chord?: Every note of Abmaj9 belongs to 4 keys: Eb Major (IV), Ab Major (I), C Minor (VI), F Minor (III). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Abmaj9 on guitar and piano?: This page shows Abmaj9 on guitar, piano and ukulele — 6 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Abmaj9 the same as G#maj9?: Yes. Abmaj9 and G#maj9 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Abmaj9 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why A♭maj9 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineWhat a seventh chord is for — tension, resolution, and the seat it takes in the key.6 min read The 12-Bar Blues — Three Chords, A Century of HitsSeventh chords are the whole sound of the blues. Twelve bars is where to hear it.7 min read