The A♭ 7♭5 chord is a four-note chord made up of A♭, C, E♭♭, and G♭. It is built from a root, major third, diminished fifth, and minor seventh.
Construction
A♭ 7♭5 = Root + Major 3rd + Diminished 5th + Minor 7th = A♭ · C · E♭♭ · G♭
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | Root | 1 |
| C | Major 3rd | 3 |
| E♭♭ | Diminished 5th | ♭5 |
| G♭ | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
A♭ 7♭5 Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | A♭ – C – E♭♭ – G♭ |
| 1st Inversion | C – E♭♭ – G♭ – A♭ |
| 2nd Inversion | E♭♭ – G♭ – A♭ – C |
| 3rd Inversion | G♭ – A♭ – C – E♭♭ |
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the A♭ 7♭5 is the tonic (I) chord of Ab Major, whose key signature has 4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭).
B♭E♭A♭D♭
Order of flats
Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭
Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
Chords in the Key of A♭ Major
These are the triads built on each degree of the A♭ major scale:
Same Notes, Other Names
The notes A♭ – C – E♭♭ – G♭ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:
A♭ 7♭5 — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the A♭ 7♭5 chord on piano?
The A♭ 7♭5 chord contains the notes A♭ – C – E♭♭ – G♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the Ab 7♭5 chord?
The Ab 7♭5 chord (Ab7♭5) contains 4 notes: Ab, C, D, Gb. Formula: R-M3-d5-m7.
How is Ab7♭5 used in music?
Ab7♭5 is used in jazz, fusion, and contemporary music to add harmonic color. It appears as a dominant or tonic chord depending on context.
What is the scale degree formula for Ab7♭5?
Ab7♭5 uses scale degrees 1-3-b5-b7, giving it its distinctive sound.