What notes are in an A♭6 chord?

A♭6 contains four notes: A♭ (root), C (major third), E♭ (perfect fifth), and F (major sixth).

Is A♭6 the same as F minor 7?

Enharmonically yes — same four pitches. A♭6 has A♭ as root (major tonic); Fm7 has F as root (minor 7th).

How is A♭6 different from A♭maj7?

Only the top note changes. A♭6 has F (major sixth); A♭maj7 has G (major seventh). A♭6 sounds softer; A♭maj7 has more harmonic richness.

What jazz standards use A♭6?

"Misty" often resolves to A♭6 at the end. Many A♭-major ballads use A♭6 at final cadences. The chord is also a primary tonic substitute in A♭-major bossa-nova arrangements.

Ab major 6 chord — notes, intervals, and practice

A♭6 — A♭, C, E♭, F — is an A♭ major triad with an added major sixth. The chord is a jazz workhorse: A♭ major is comfortable for horns and vocalists, and A♭6 appears at countless final cadences in A♭-major standards. It's enharmonic to F minor 7.

Intervals

The Ab major 6 chord stacks two thirds on the root. Each interval and its size in semitones:

Ab→Cmajor 3rd4 semitones
C→Ebminor 3rd3 semitones
Eb→Fmajor 2nd2 semitones

On the keyboard

Each note of the Ab major 6 chord highlighted on a piano. Pitch class is what matters — any octave works.

On the guitar

One voicing of the Ab major 6 chord on a six-string guitar fretboard.

Common mistakes

A♭6 has F natural as its sixth — a half-step lower than A♭maj7 (which has G natural). Don't confuse A♭6 with A♭7 (which has G♭ as a minor 7th). On piano, A♭6 falls comfortably under the hand as black-white-black-white.

In context

A♭6 is the I chord in A♭ major (often used as a final tonic at the end of A♭-major arrangements). "Misty" (in A♭ major) frequently ends on A♭6 for a softer landing than A♭maj7. The chord is also fundamental to jazz piano voicings throughout the A♭-major repertoire.

Drill it

The Ab major 6 chord is one of 48 in the Chord Trainer. Open the full trainer to practice it alongside related chords with timing and best-time tracking.

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Frequently asked

What notes are in an A♭6 chord?: A♭6 contains four notes: A♭ (root), C (major third), E♭ (perfect fifth), and F (major sixth).
Is A♭6 the same as F minor 7?: Enharmonically yes — same four pitches. A♭6 has A♭ as root (major tonic); Fm7 has F as root (minor 7th).
How is A♭6 different from A♭maj7?: Only the top note changes. A♭6 has F (major sixth); A♭maj7 has G (major seventh). A♭6 sounds softer; A♭maj7 has more harmonic richness.
What jazz standards use A♭6?: "Misty" often resolves to A♭6 at the end. Many A♭-major ballads use A♭6 at final cadences. The chord is also a primary tonic substitute in A♭-major bossa-nova arrangements.