Piano chords · Dominant 7th chord
A♭7 piano chord (A♭ dominant seventh)
A♭7 (also written G♯7) is a dominant seventh chord with 4 notes. It sounds bluesy and restless, as if it wants to move on. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.
A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭ · tap any key to hear it
The notes of A♭7
A♭7 is built from 4 notes (1 – 3 – 5 – ♭7):
- A♭, the root
- C, the major third
- E♭, the fifth
- G♭, the minor seventh
A♭ and E♭ and G♭ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them without stretching.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on A♭, 2 on C, 3 on E♭, 5 on G♭.
- Left hand: 5 on A♭, 3 on C, 2 on E♭, 1 on G♭.
Press every key at exactly the same moment, with the same weight. If one note sounds louder or a fraction late, the chord sounds uneven: play it slowly and listen for one sound.
Inversions
An inversion is the same notes in a different order, with a different note at the bottom. Inversions let you move between chords without jumping around the keyboard.
| Position | Notes, bottom to top |
|---|---|
| Root position | A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭ |
| 1st inversion | C – E♭ – G♭ – A♭ |
| 2nd inversion | E♭ – G♭ – A♭ – C |
| 3rd inversion | G♭ – A♭ – C – E♭ |
Where A♭7 belongs
A♭7 is the V7 chord in D♭ major: the chord that pulls most strongly back home, to D♭. In a 12-bar blues in A♭, every chord is a dominant seventh, which is where the blues gets its sound.
A♭7 is A♭ with a minor seventh, G♭, added on top. A♭maj7 has a major seventh instead (G), which sounds softer and less bluesy.
Hear it in a progression
E♭m7 – A♭7 – D♭maj7: ii – V – I in D♭ major, the most important progression in jazz.
Playing it, but it doesn't sound right? Ivory listens to you play and tells you what's off: a note that's missing, a hand that lands late, a chord that's uneven. Then it shows you how it should go.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the A♭7 chord?
A♭7 (A♭ dominant seventh) is made of A♭, C, E♭ and G♭: the root, major third, fifth and minor seventh.
How do you play A♭7 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on A♭, 2 on C, 3 on E♭, 5 on G♭, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on A♭, 3 on C, 2 on E♭, 1 on G♭.
How is A♭7 different from the plain chord?
A♭7 is A♭ with a minor seventh, G♭, added on top. A♭maj7 has a major seventh instead (G), which sounds softer and less bluesy.