About the A flat five chord
The A flat five chord is a A flat power chord built from A flat, E flat. It sits outside the plain diatonic set, so it is borrowed to add color and tension.
It is also written G sharp five , which spells the same notes enharmonically.
Inversions
(root position)
Notes and intervals
| 1 | A flat | Root |
| 2 | E flat | Perfect 5th |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Other A flat chords
Simpler triads
Suspended
A flat suspended two A flat suspended four A flat seven suspended four A flat nine suspended four A flat thirteen suspended four
Sixths and sevenths
A flat six A flat minor six A flat minor flat six A flat seven A flat major seven A flat minor seven A flat minor seven flat five A flat diminished seven A flat minor major seven A flat major seven flat five A flat major seven sharp five A flat minor major seven flat five
Extensions
A flat nine A flat add nine A flat major nine A flat minor nine A flat eleven A flat thirteen A flat six nine A flat minor add nine A flat major eleven A flat major thirteen A flat minor eleven A flat minor thirteen A flat minor six nine A flat minor major nine A flat minor major eleven
Altered
Functional relationships
These chords are where this one most naturally comes from and resolves to inside a key.
Dominant
The dominant is a fifth above the root, and it builds tension that pulls strongly back to this chord.
Subdominant
The subdominant is a fourth above the root (a fifth below), and it usually leads on to the dominant or back home.
