Abmaj13 Chord on Guitar: How To Play the Ab Major Thirteen chord
Welcome to our tutorial on the Ab maj13 chord. This is a beautiful and complex chord that belongs to the Major Chords family. Composed of the notes Ab, C, Eb, G, Bb, Db, and F, it's a rich and full-bodied chord that can add depth and complexity to your music.
The Ab maj13 chord is built by stacking intervals, specifically the 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. If you're not familiar with this concept, we have a detailed tutorial on how to build chords by stacking intervals that can help you understand this process better.
The complete names of the music intervals involved in building this chord are: the Root, Major Third, Perfect Fifth, Major Seventh, Major Ninth, Perfect Eleventh, and Major Thirteenth. If you're unfamiliar with these terms, you can learn more about them in our tutorial on fretboard intervals.
Learning the Ab maj13 chord can be a challenge, especially for beginners. It's a more advanced chord that requires a good understanding of the fretboard and chord construction. If you're new to these concepts, you might want to start with our full tutorial about guitar chords of all types before tackling the Ab maj13.
Once you've mastered the Ab maj13, you'll find it's a versatile chord that can be used in a variety of musical genres, including jazz. In fact, it's often used in jazz chord progressions, which frequently utilise maj7, m7, and 7 chord types.
We'll be providing chord diagrams and fretboard patterns to help you visualise and play the Ab maj13 chord. If you need help understanding these diagrams, check out our tutorial on how to denote chords depending on the intervals that compose it.
So grab your guitar and get ready to dive into the world of the Ab maj13 chord. Happy playing!
Ab maj13 chord Notes:
Chord Formula:
Abmaj13 Guitar Chord Diagrams
Chord boxes are sorted from the easiest to the hardest. Learn how to read chord diagrams.
If you have difficulties with bar chord shapes, check the Bar Chords Tips tutorial.
You can also use this accessible chords page with written diagrams instruction.
Position 1
Movable
Position 2
Barre
Movable
Position 3
Barre
Movable
Position 4
Barre
Movable
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FAQ
What notes comprise the Ab maj13 chord?
The Ab maj13 chord is composed of seven distinct notes: Ab, C, Eb, G, Bb, Db, and F. These notes give the chord its rich and full-bodied sound.
What do the 'Ab', 'maj', and '13' signify in the Ab maj13 chord name?
In 'Ab maj13', 'Ab' identifies the root note of the chord as A flat. 'maj' indicates that it is a major quality chord, meaning it includes a major third and major seventh interval. The '13' means the chord is built by stacking intervals all the way up to the thirteenth, encompassing the 9th and 11th intervals as well.
How do the intervals stack up to form an Ab maj13 chord?
The Ab maj13 chord is constructed by stacking seven specific intervals from the root (Ab). These are the Root (1), Major Third (3), Perfect Fifth (5), Major Seventh (7), Major Ninth (9), Perfect Eleventh (11), and Major Thirteenth (13).
Why is the Ab maj13 chord considered a complex or advanced chord for guitarists?
The Ab maj13 is considered advanced because it includes many notes (seven in total), which can make it challenging to finger on the guitar. It requires a solid understanding of the fretboard and chord construction to play effectively.
When is the Ab maj13 chord typically used in music?
The Ab maj13 is a versatile and sophisticated chord often used to add depth and complexity to musical arrangements. It is particularly common in jazz, where its rich harmony fits well within various jazz chord progressions and genres that favor advanced voicings.
What is the difference between an Ab maj13 chord and an Ab major seventh chord?
An Ab major seventh chord includes the root, major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh (Ab, C, Eb, G). The Ab maj13 chord expands upon this by adding the major ninth (Bb), perfect eleventh (Db), and major thirteenth (F), creating a much richer and more complex harmonic texture.