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Guitar chords · Major 6th

A♭6 chord on guitar (Ab6)

A♭6 (A♭ major 6th) has four notes: A♭, C, E♭ and F, the , 3, 5 and 6.

Shapes

How to play A♭6

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

A♭6 has no common . Play it as the E shape at 4 or the A shape at fret 11. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • E shape · fret 4

    4frR5R36RA♭E♭A♭CFA♭
  • A shape · fret 11

    11fr×R5R36A♭E♭A♭CF
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes A♭6 major 6th

A 6th chord adds the 6th note of the scale to a major chord. It is sweeter and less tense than a , and it often ends a song in swing, country and old pop.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The 3rd and the 6th make A♭6 a major 6th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. A♭Rroot
  2. C3essential
  3. E♭5optional
  4. F6essential
EADGBE0135791215A♭A♭A♭A♭A♭A♭A♭FCE♭FCE♭FCE♭FCE♭FCE♭FCE♭FCFCE♭F
  • A♭, the root
  • Other chord tones

A♭6 and G♯6 are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with A♭6

A♭6 belongs to six keys: D♭ major (V6), A♭ major (I6), E♭ major (IV6), B♭ minor (VII6), F minor (III6) and C minor (VI6).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

A♭6 over another bass note

A keeps A♭6 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • A♭6/C

    A♭6 with its 3rd, C, in the bass.

  • A♭6/E♭

    A♭6 with its 5th, E♭, in the bass.

Questions

A♭6, in short

What notes are in the A♭6 chord?
A♭6 (A♭ major 6th) has four notes: A♭, C, E♭ and F, the , 3, 5 and 6.
How do you play A♭6 on guitar?
A♭6 has no common . Play it as the E shape at 4 or the A shape at fret 11.
What key is A♭6 in?
A♭6 belongs to six keys: D♭ major (V6), A♭ major (I6), E♭ major (IV6), B♭ minor (VII6), F minor (III6) and C minor (VI6).
Is A♭6 the same as G♯6?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. A♭6 is the spelling in D♭ major, A♭ major, E♭ major, B♭ minor, F minor and C minor; G♯6 only in C♯ major and A♯ minor, which most players write as D♭ major and B♭ minor.
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