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Ab Diminished 7th Piano Chord

Root
Ab
Min 3rd
Cb
Maj 6th
F
b 5th
D
PLAY
→
←
E
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
Ab
Cb
D
F

The Notes in an Ab Diminished 7th Chord

The Root

The root of the chord is always the easiest to find because it's in the name of the chord! The root of an Ab Diminished 7th chord is Ab.

The Min 3rd

The minor third of an Ab Diminished 7th chord is Cb. The minor third is up three half-steps from the Root.

Finding Cb from Ab step by step:

  • Start on: Ab
  • Step 1: move up to A
  • Step 2: move up to Bb
  • Step 3: Land on Cb
Min 3rd
Cb
Root
Ab
1
2
PLAY
  • A is a minor second above Ab.
  • Bb is a major 2nd above Ab.
  • Cb is a minor third above Ab.

The Maj 6th

The major sixth of an Ab Diminished 7th chord is F. The major sixth is down three half-steps from the Root (a minor third down).

In diminished chords, the major sixth is also known as the diminished seventh. For the purposes of this tutorial, we'll be learning it as the major sixth, since it's easier to consider it separately than the other two sevenths, the major seventh (M7) and minor seventh (m7)

Finding F from Ab step by step:

  • Start on: Ab
  • Step 1: move down to G
  • Step 2: move down to Gb
  • Step 3: Land on F
Maj 6th
F
Root
Ab
1
2
PLAY
  • G is a minor second below Ab.
  • Gb is a major 2nd below Ab.
  • F is a minor third below Ab. The maj 6th is down a minor third? Confusing, right? The note F is down 3 half-steps from Ab, but up 9 half-steps from Ab:
Maj 6th
F
Root
Ab
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
PLAY

The Inversions of Ab Diminished 7th

Root Position

Root
Ab
Min 3rd
Cb
Maj 6th
F
b 5th
D
PLAY
E
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
Ab
Cb
D
F

1st Inversion

Min 3rd
Cb
b 5th
D
Maj 6th
F
Root
Ab
PLAY
E
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
Cb
D
F
Ab

2nd Inversion

b 5th
D
Maj 6th
F
Root
Ab
Min 3rd
Cb
PLAY
E
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
D
F
Ab
Cb

3rd Inversion

Maj 6th
F
Root
Ab
Min 3rd
Cb
b 5th
D
PLAY
E
G
B
D
F
F
A
C
E
F
Ab
Cb
D

How to find Ab Diminished 7th with my three-finger-method

This is the method taught in my book "How to Speed Read Piano Chord Symbols"

Step 1) Use the Fourth

Find the Root and the Fourth up from the Root. (See my tutorial on finding fourths).

Root
Ab
Root
Ab
4th
Db

Step 2) Move the right hand down

Move the root a minor third down (three keys to the left on the piano) and the other note (the fourth) a whole-step to the left (two keys down on the piano).

Root
Ab
Maj 6th
F
Min 3rd
Cb
PLAY
→
←

How to Find 7th Chords with Nate's Three Finger Method

  • Major 7th chords: bring both fingers down a half-step
  • Minor 7th chords: bring both fingers down a whole-step
  • Dominant 7th chords: bring the Root down a whole-step, the fourth down a half-step
  • Diminished 7th chords: bring the Root down a minor third, the fourth down a whole-step

If you would like to learn more about my method, pick up "How to Speed Read Piano Chord Symbols".

Other Diminished 7th Chords

Cdim7, C#dim7, Dbdim7, Ddim7, D#dim7, Ebdim7, Edim7, Fdim7, F#dim7, Gbdim7, Gdim7, G#dim7, Abdim7, Adim7, A#dim7, Bbdim7, Bdim7

See all diminished 7th chords

Other Ab Chords

Ab, Abm, Abdim, Ab+, AbM7, Abm7, Ab7, Abdim7

See a list of 34 Ab chords