Learn the structure of the A flat minor chord in root position, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion on the piano.
What Notes Make up the Ab minor Chord?
The symbol of the Ab minor chord is Abm.
The notes of the Abm chord are Ab – B – Eb.
The Ab minor chord is a triad because it has three notes: root (Ab), minor third (B), and perfect fifth (Eb).
How to Play the A flat minor Chord on the Piano?
Below you can see how to play the notes of the Ab minor chord on the piano in root position:
You can see that the first note from the left is Ab (the root), the second note is B (the minor third), and the third note is Eb (the perfect fifth).
What is the Lowest Note in the Ab minor Chord?
Assuming that you are playing the A flat minor chord in root position the lowest note is Ab.
How Do You Remember the Ab Minor Chord?
Here is how to remember the notes of the Ab minor chord:
- Start from the first note of the chord (the root) that for the Ab minor chord is Ab.
- To find the second note of the chord calculate a minor third from the root (B).
- Then to find the third note of the chord calculate the perfect fifth from the root (Eb).
This applies if you are playing the Ab minor chord in root position.
What is the 1st Inversion of the Ab minor Chord?
The 1st inversion of the A flat minor chord starts with the note B.
The picture below shows how to play the notes of the Ab minor chord on the piano in the first inversion:
In the 1st inversion, you shift the root of the A flat minor chord (Ab) one octave up compared to the root position.
The notes of the Ab minor chord in the 1st inversion are B – Eb – Ab.
How Do You Play the 2nd Inversion of the Ab Minor Chord?
The 2nd inversion of the Ab minor chord starts with the note Eb.
Below you can see how to play the notes of the second inversion of the Ab minor chord on the piano:
In the 2nd inversion, you also shift the third of the A flat minor chord (B) up one octave.
The notes of the 2nd inversion of the Ab minor chord are Eb – Ab – B.
Given that the A flat minor chord is a triad (it consists of three notes) there is no 3rd inversion because it would be the same as the root position.
Learn Other Ab Chords
The following articles show you how to play other Ab chords: