A♭maj7, the A♭ major 7 guitar chord
A♭maj7 is the Fmaj7 slant moved up three frets, so the chart starts at the 3rd fret. Off the nut your index presses both ends: the low E at the 4th fret and the high E one fret lower, at the 3rd. That high E is the end that slips, so roll the index a little onto its side. The A string stays silent. You meet it in songs in A♭ and E♭.
How to play it
- Index finger flattened across the low E string (6th) and high E string (1st), 4th fret.
- Middle finger on the B string (2nd), 4th fret.
- Ring finger on the D string (4th), 5th fret.
- Pinky on the G string (3rd), 5th fret.
- Don't strum the A string (5th). It stays silent in this shape.
Changes to practice
Holding A♭maj7 still is the easy part. Songs need you to arrive at it in rhythm, so in Strumhold you practice A♭maj7 as changes, alongside the rest of the Barre Major 7ths set:
- A♭maj7 ↔ Fmaj7 A♭ major 7 to F major 7 Drill
- A♭maj7 ↔ B♭maj7 A♭ major 7 to B♭ major 7 Drill
- A♭maj7 ↔ C♯maj7 A♭ major 7 to C♯ major 7 Drill
- A♭maj7 ↔ E♭maj7 A♭ major 7 to E♭ major 7 Drill
- A♭maj7 ↔ Bmaj7 A♭ major 7 to B major 7 Drill
- A♭maj7 ↔ Emaj7 A♭ major 7 to E major 7 Drill
- A♭maj7 ↔ F♯maj7 A♭ major 7 to F♯ major 7 Drill