What notes are in the Ab6 chord?

Ab6 is made of Ab, C, Eb and F — the 1, 3, 5 and 6 degrees of a sixth chord built on Ab.

What keys use the Ab6 chord?

Every note of Ab6 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 Ab6 on guitar and piano?

This page shows Ab6 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 10 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is Ab6 the same as G#6?

Yes. Ab6 and G#6 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Ab6 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · Ab Major 6th

A♭6 Chord

A♭6 is Ab, C, Eb and F — sweet, jazzy alternative to a major triad.

Hear it

A♭6 on every instrument

The same 4 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

What A♭6 is made of

Ab Major 6th (Ab major 6th) is built from the notes Ab, C, Eb, F, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, 6. A common major 6th chord across many styles.

Stack 1, 3, 5 and 6 on a root of A♭ and you get Ab, C, Eb and F. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a sixth chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C6 sounds like a transposed A♭6.

Major 6th: Sweet, jazzy alternative to a major triad.

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♭6

All 4 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♭6/9Ab 6/9 A♭7Ab Dominant 7th A♭maj7Ab Major 7th

The same sixth shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

C6C Major 6th D6D Major 6th E6E Major 6th F6F Major 6th G6G Major 6th A6A Major 6th B6B Major 6th F♯6F# Major 6th

Questions people ask about Ab6

What notes are in the Ab6 chord?: Ab6 is made of Ab, C, Eb and F — the 1, 3, 5 and 6 degrees of a sixth chord built on Ab.
What keys use the Ab6 chord?: Every note of Ab6 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 Ab6 on guitar and piano?: This page shows Ab6 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 10 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Ab6 the same as G#6?: Yes. Ab6 and G#6 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Ab6 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why A♭6 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