About the A♭ minor chord
The minor chord lowers the third by a semitone, which gives it a darker, sadder colour than the major. It appears in almost every style, from folk to metal. The symbol for it is A♭m. (also written G♯m)
How to play A♭m
- Lay your index finger flat across the top 6 strings at fret 4, pressing just behind the fret.
- Put your middle finger on the A string at fret 6.
- Put your ring finger on the D string at fret 6.
- Strum all six strings.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Chords in the key of A♭ minor
These are the chords built on each note of the A♭ minor scale, so they all sound good together with A♭m. The Roman numeral under each one is its position in the key.
Other A♭ chords
A♭m chord questions
What notes are in a A♭ minor chord?
A♭ minor is made of A♭, C♭ and E♭. In intervals that is 1, ♭3, 5 above the root, A♭.
What is the easiest way to play A♭m?
The first shape above is the most common one: 4 6 6 4 4 4 from the low E string to the high E, where x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. Start there, and try the other shapes once it feels comfortable.
Is A♭m a barre chord?
The main shape uses a barre, where one finger holds down several strings at once. Press just behind the fret and roll the finger slightly onto its side.