Chords in the key of Ab major
The key of Ab major has seven diatonic chords: Ab, BbmBbmBbmBbm, CmCmCmCm, Db, Eb, FmFmFmFm and G°. As sevenths: Abmaj7Abmaj7Abmaj7Abmaj7, Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7, Cm7Cm7Cm7Cm7, Dbmaj7Dbmaj7Dbmaj7Dbmaj7, Eb7Eb7Eb7Eb7, Fm7Fm7Fm7Fm7 and Gm7b5. They come from the Ab major scale, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F and G, one on each note.
The table shows each chord in two versions: the triad (the three-note chord) and the seventh chord (the same chord with a fourth note, the seventh, that enriches it).
Notes: Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G| Degree | Triad | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | AbAbAbAb | Abmaj7Abmaj7Abmaj7Abmaj7 | tonic |
| ii | BbmBbmBbmBbm | Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7Bbm7 | subdominant |
| iii | CmCmCmCm | Cm7Cm7Cm7Cm7 | tonic |
| IV | DbDbDbDb | Dbmaj7Dbmaj7Dbmaj7Dbmaj7 | subdominant |
| V | EbEbEbEb | Eb7Eb7Eb7Eb7 | dominant |
| vi | FmFmFmFm | Fm7Fm7Fm7Fm7 | tonic |
| vii° | G° | Gm7b5 | dominant |
The roman numerals mark the chord's position in the scale: I is the first degree, V the fifth. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor; ° = diminished.
Tonic chords stabilize and rest; subdominant chords prepare motion; dominant chords build the tension that asks for resolution.