About the A flat seven chord
A flat seven is used in A flat Mixolydian, where its notes spell the I chord. Think of it as an A♭ dominant seventh chord.
Its notes are A♭, C, E♭, and G♭. The intervals are a major third, a perfect fifth, and a minor seventh.
Also called dom7. G sharp seven spells the same notes enharmonically.
Inversions
A flat seven (root position)
Notes and intervals
| 1 | AbA♭ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | CC | Major 3rd |
| 3 | EbE♭ | Perfect 5th |
| 4 | GbG♭ | Minor 7th |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Keys that use A flat seven
A flat seven is diatonic to these keys, where its notes spell the chord shown.
Other A flat chords
Simpler triads
Suspended
Sixths and sevenths
Extensions
Altered
Functional relationships
These chords are where this one most naturally comes from and resolves to inside a key.
Relative minor
The relative minor uses the same notes and key signature, so it works as a calmer, darker home base.
Parallel minor
The parallel minor keeps the same root note but lowers the third, giving the same key a darker, sadder sound.
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.
Tritone substitution
The tritone substitution is a dominant chord a tritone away that shares the same tension, so it can stand in for this chord and resolve the same way.
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