A♭m7
Ab Minor 7th — the workhorse of smooth harmony — soft, rounded, and at home on the ii chord of nearly everything.
The keys
A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭
What's inside A♭m7
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | Root | 1 |
| C♭ | Minor 3rd | b3 |
| E♭ | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| G♭ | Minor 7th | b7 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | A♭4 – B4 – E♭5 – G♭5 |
| 1st inversion | B4 – E♭5 – G♭5 – A♭5 |
| 2nd inversion | E♭5 – G♭5 – A♭5 – B5 |
| 3rd inversion | G♭5 – A♭5 – B5 – E♭6 |
A working voicing
Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:
| Hand | Keys |
|---|---|
| Left (shell) | A♭2 – G♭3 |
| Right (colour) | B4 – E♭5 |
Where A♭m7 lives
As the ii chord
A♭m7 → D♭7 → G♭maj7
Minor-family sevenths live on the ii — this is the move they were born for.
Stepwise colour
A♭ → A♭m7 → B♭m7
Used as a passing colour between neighbouring chords.
Put A♭m7 under your fingers
Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.
Open the Chord & Voicing Lab →