What notes are in the Ab/5 chord?

Ab/5 is made of Eb, Ab and C — the 5, 1 and 3 degrees of a major second inversion chord built on Ab.

What keys use the Ab/5 chord?

Every note of Ab/5 belongs to 8 keys: Eb Major (IV), Ab Major (I), Db Major (V), C# Major (V), C Minor (VI), F Minor (III), Bb Minor (VII), A# Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.

How do you play Ab/5 on guitar and piano?

This page shows Ab/5 on piano — 1 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is Ab/5 the same as G#/5?

Yes. Ab/5 and G#/5 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Ab/5 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · Ab Major (2nd Inversion)

A♭/5 Chord

A♭/5 is Eb, Ab and C — major triad with the fifth in the bass.

Hear it

A♭/5 on every instrument

The same 3 notes, 1 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

Piano1 voicing

What A♭/5 is made of

Ab Major (2nd Inversion) (Ab major (2nd inversion)) is built from the notes Eb, Ab, C, with the interval pattern 5, 1, 3. A common major (2nd inversion) chord across many styles.

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

Major (2nd Inversion): Major triad with the fifth in the bass.

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 E♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain A♭/5

All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 8 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 second inversion shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

C/5C Major (2nd Inversion)D/5D Major (2nd Inversion)E/5E Major (2nd Inversion)G/5G Major (2nd Inversion)A/5A Major (2nd Inversion)B/5B Major (2nd Inversion)F♯/5F# Major (2nd Inversion)D♭/5Db Major (2nd Inversion)

Questions people ask about Ab/5

What notes are in the Ab/5 chord?: Ab/5 is made of Eb, Ab and C — the 5, 1 and 3 degrees of a major second inversion chord built on Ab.
What keys use the Ab/5 chord?: Every note of Ab/5 belongs to 8 keys: Eb Major (IV), Ab Major (I), Db Major (V), C# Major (V), C Minor (VI), F Minor (III), Bb Minor (VII), A# Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Ab/5 on guitar and piano?: This page shows Ab/5 on piano — 1 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Ab/5 the same as G#/5?: Yes. Ab/5 and G#/5 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Ab/5 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why A♭/5 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Chord Inversions and Slash Chords — Same Notes, Different AttitudeSame notes, different bass note — what the slash in the name is actually doing.5 min read Voice Leading — Hold What You Can, Move Only What You MustInversions exist so your fingers move less between chords. This is the technique behind them.6 min read Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineAn inverted chord still has a job in the key. Here is how to hear it.6 min read