Abmaj7

Abmaj7 is Ab, C, Eb and G, a major seventh. The shape this page opens on is written xxx113, lowest string first.

Also written AbM7, AbΔ7, AbΔ, Abma7 or Ab major 7. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 7 common shapes for Abmaj7 on the guitar, and 29 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of Abmaj7 belongs to C minor (the ♭VI), Eb major (the IV), F minor (the ♭III) and Ab major (the I).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: xxx113, xx1113, 465544, xx6888, x-11-10-8-8-8, x-11-10-12-9-x, x-11-13-12-13-11.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. Abmaj7 has 435xxx, x-11-10-12-x-x, 4x55xx, x-11-x-12-13-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Abmaj7 has xx1113, 3311xx, xx5544, 4655xx, xx6888, x-10-10-8-9-x, 11-11-10-12-x-x, x-11-13-12-13-x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Abmaj7 has x3x143, 3x111x, x6x584, 4x554x, 8x688x, x-10-x-8-9-8, 11-x-10-12-9-x, x-11-x-12-13-11.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. Abmaj7 has 4300xx, 3300xx.

Tensions. A shell of Abmaj7, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 9 (Bb), the #11 (D) and the 13 (F).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.