A♭ dominant seventh (A♭7) chord on piano

Dominant seventh chord (a major triad plus a minor seventh) on A♭: the notes of the A♭7 chord are A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭. The same chord with a different spelling: G♯ dominant seventh (G♯7).

Root position: A♭3 – C4 – E♭4 – G♭4

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What the A♭7 chord sounds like

The dominant seventh sounds tense and wants to move on: the third and the minor seventh form a tritone that pulls towards the tonic. It is also the basic chord of the blues and early rock'n'roll.

Notes of the A♭7 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	A♭	root
3	C	major third (4 semitones)
5	E♭	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	G♭	minor seventh (10 semitones)

Root position and inversions

An inversion uses the same notes, with a different note at the bottom. When you change chords, choosing the nearest inversion keeps your hand almost still.

Root position

A♭3 – C4 – E♭4 – G♭4

1st inversion

C4 – E♭4 – G♭4 – A♭4

2nd inversion

E♭4 – G♭4 – A♭4 – C5

3rd inversion

G♭4 – A♭4 – C5 – E♭5

Which keys is it in?

The A♭7 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

D♭ major: V7 (dominant)
B♭ minor: VII7

Similar chords and substitutes

If A♭7 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

D7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Cdim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
A♭9 – a fuller dominant (with the ninth)
A♭7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
C♯ – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

A♭ – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

A♭9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
A♭11 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes
A♭13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the A♭7 chord?

A♭, C, E♭, G♭. The root is A♭; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.

How do I play the A♭7 chord on piano?

In root position, the right hand usually plays with fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger, little finger); four-note chords with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5. The left hand mirrors this: 5, 3, 1. In an inversion the top or bottom note moves to the other side, so your hand moves less when you change chords.

How is the A♭7 chord written?

The chord symbol is A♭7 (also written Ab7), and its full name is A♭ dominant seventh.