Ab6 Ab major sixth chord
- Notes
- Ab C Eb F
- Formula
- 1 3 5 6
- Semitones
- 0 4 7 9 above the root
- Also written
- G#6 (G# B# D# E#)
- Other symbols
- AbM6, Abmaj6
Ab to C is a major third (4 semitones), C to Eb is a minor third (3 semitones), Eb to F is a major second (2 semitones). A major triad plus the major sixth, F, nine semitones above Ab. With F in the bass the same four keys read as Fm7: which name fits depends on the bass note.
Ab6 on the piano
Root position from Ab4: Ab4, C5, Eb5, F5. Middle C is C4.
Ab6 on the guitar
Standard tuning (E A D G B E). Strings run low E on the left to high e on the right, frets downwards; × is a muted string, ○ an open string, and each dot shows the note it sounds, with the root in blue-green. Every shape below has Ab as its lowest note.
4 x 3 5 4 x (low E to high e)
Sounds Ab2 F3 C4 Eb4
x 11 13 13 13 13 (low E to high e)
Sounds Ab3 Eb4 Ab4 C5 F5
The E-shape and A-shape grips are movable: an E-shape chord's root is the note under your first finger on the low E string, an A-shape chord's root is the note on the A string. Slide the same grip up or down to play major sixth chords on other roots.
Inversions of Ab6
An inversion puts a note other than the root in the bass. The name is what semicord's chord finder calls those notes played bottom to top; a slash name like C/E means a C chord with E in the bass.
| Position | Notes, bass first | Named | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | Ab C Eb F | Ab6 | |
| 1st inversion | C Eb F Ab | Fm7/C (also read as Ab6/C) | |
| 2nd inversion | Eb F Ab C | Fm7/Eb (also read as Ab6/Eb) | |
| 3rd inversion | F Ab C Eb | Fm7 (also read as Ab6/F) |
Where Ab6 fits
Ab6 is I6 in Ab major, IV6 in Eb major. As a final tonic chord it is the swing-era and early rock and roll alternative to Abmaj7: the sixth, F, adds colour without the half-step rub between Ab and a major seventh.