Ab6 Piano Chord

Ab6 is the A flat sixth chord. It has four notes: A flat, C, E flat and F. The A flat and E flat are black keys, under the thumb and middle finger, and the C and F between them are white.

Ab6 piano chord diagram, root position, A♭ C E♭ F

A flat at the bottom under the thumb, then C, E flat and F. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1.

How to play Ab6 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the A♭ below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): A♭
  3. Index finger (2): C
  4. Middle finger (3): E♭
  5. Little finger (5): F
  6. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 2, 1 an octave lower, or just A♭ on its own as a bass note.

Thumb and middle finger sit on the black keys, A flat and E flat, while the index and little finger take the white C and F. Playing slightly inside the keyboard keeps the thumb comfortable on its black key.

Inversions of Ab6

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Ab6; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionC E♭ F A♭
Ab6 piano chord diagram, first inversion, C E♭ F A♭
Lighter, with the third in the bass tipping the chord toward D flat or F minor. A stepping stone voicing.
Second inversionE♭ F A♭ C
Ab6 piano chord diagram, second inversion, E♭ F A♭ C
Open, with a gentle haze where E flat and F touch at the bottom. It sounds like an A flat chord in motion rather than one at rest.
Third inversionF A♭ C E♭
Ab6 piano chord diagram, third inversion, F A♭ C E♭
The pivot voicing. With F underneath, Ab6 and F minor seventh are one sound, which is exactly how soul progressions drift between the two.

If it sounds wrong

The top note landed on G
One white key too far gives Abmaj7 instead of the sixth. The note you want is F, a whole step above the E flat.
It sounds like F minor
Ab6 and Fm7 share all four notes. If F becomes the lowest note the ear hears F minor. Keep A flat at the bottom, or put a low A flat in the left hand.
The thumb slips off A flat
A thumb on a black key needs the hand further into the keyboard than feels natural at first. Move in until the thumb rests near the front edge of the A flat with weight behind it.

What makes it an Ab6

A♭ · C · E♭ · F 1 3 5 6

Ab6 is an A flat major triad, A flat, C and E flat, with an F added: the sixth, a whole step above the fifth. Nothing is taken away, so the chord still carries A flat major's darkness and gains the sixth's vintage warmth.

The same four notes read from F spell Fm7, the relative minor seventh. One shape, two names, chosen by the bass. Soul and gospel, which live in A flat, use both faces of this chord side by side.

Ab6 vs Abmaj7

Both add one white key to the A flat triad. Ab6 adds F, a whole step over the E flat; Abmaj7 adds G, a half step under the A flat above. F closes the chord; G opens it.

Hold A flat, C and E flat, and alternate the top note between F and G. The F version ends a gospel phrase; the G version hangs in the air. One key, two entirely different rooms.

Ab6 in major keys

Every note of Ab6 sits inside these keys. See how it works alongside the other chords in each one.

Questions about Ab6

Is Ab6 the same as G#6?

Yes, one chord spelled two ways. A flat is the spelling that turns up in real keys, so it is the one used here.

Is Ab6 the same as Fm7?

Same notes: A flat, C, E flat and F. A flat in the bass makes it Ab6; F in the bass makes it Fm7.

What fingers do you use for Ab6?

Right hand: thumb on A flat, index on C, middle on E flat, little finger on F, which is 1, 2, 3, 5. Left hand: 5, 3, 2, 1.

What is the difference between Ab6 and Ab7?

Ab6 adds F, a colour note that sits still. Ab7 adds G flat, a flat seventh that pushes toward D flat. The sixth is an ending; the seventh is a doorway.

When would I use Ab6?

As the warm tonic chord in soul, gospel and jazz in A flat, and under melodies that rest on F.

Chords to learn next

Other Ab chords