A♭7♭9

A♭7♭9 is the ab dominant 7th flat 9 chord, spelled A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭ – A. a dominant with a dark flattened ninth — sharp tension that resolves with real drama, especially into minor.

The keys
C4C5C6
A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭ – A
Practise this chord

Plug in your MIDI keyboard and let Coach Tshepho drill you on A♭7♭9 — it plays the chord, names any wrong notes as you play, and moves you on when you nail it.

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What's inside A♭7♭9
NoteInterval from rootDegree
A♭Root1
CMajor 3rd3
E♭Perfect 5th5
G♭Minor 7thb7
A (spelled B♭♭)Flat 9thb9
A working voicing

Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:

HandKeys
Left (shell)A♭2 – G♭3
Right (colour)C5 – A5
Where A♭7♭9 lives

Hard resolution

A♭7♭9 → D♭m9

Altered dominants resolve with maximum drama — especially into minor.

Chromatic approach

E♭m7 → A♭7♭9 → D♭

The alteration sharpens the pull of the standard two-five.

Put A♭7♭9 under your fingers

Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.

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