A♭maj7 chord on ukulele

A♭maj7 is A♭, C, E♭ and G. The usual shape is 1-3-3-3. Tap Play, then slow it down.

1-3-3-3 · movable · medium

Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · 7
First shape: 1-3-3-3

How to play A♭maj7 on ukulele

Shape 1, 1-3-3-3, reading from the G string on the left:

Index finger: G string, 1st fret (A♭).
Middle finger: C string, 3rd fret (E♭).
Ring finger: E string, 3rd fret (G).
Pinky: A string, 3rd fret (C).

Your little finger has a job in this shape; it gets stronger in a week or two of short daily practice.
On ukulele you strum all four strings. The top G string is tuned higher than the C, which is why ukulele chords sound bright and close.

Other ways to play A♭maj7

5-7-4-6: movable shape at the 4th fret, medium. Use it when the next chord sits nearby on the neck.
8-8-8-10: movable shape at the 8th fret, medium. A high voicing for when the low version is taken by another instrument.
12-12-11-11: movable shape at the 11th fret, medium. Higher up the neck it sounds brighter; handy when another guitar is already playing a lower shape.

Playing A♭maj7 with a capo

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 1st fret and play the open Gmaj7 shape (0-2-2-2) or capo on the 3rd fret and play the open Fmaj7 shape (2-4-1-3). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

A♭maj7 chord changes

These are the changes you'll meet most often with A♭maj7, using the first shape of each chord.

C♯maj7 (IV in A♭ major): A♭maj7 (1-3-3-3) to C♯maj7 (1-1-1-3): your index and pinky fingers stay put, move the middle finger to the C string, 1st fret, the ring finger goes to the E string, 1st fret. The two chords share A♭ and C, which is why the change sounds smooth. C♯maj7 on ukulele
E♭7 (V in A♭ major): A♭maj7 (1-3-3-3) to E♭7 (3-3-3-4): your middle and ring fingers stay put, move the index finger to the G string, 3rd fret, your pinky finger lands on the A string, 4th fret. Listen for E♭ and G, which stay put while the rest moves. E♭7 on ukulele
Fm7 (vi in A♭ major): A♭maj7 (1-3-3-3) to Fm7 (1-3-1-3): your index and pinky fingers stay put, move the middle finger to the E string, 1st fret, the ring finger slides across to the C string at the same fret. Listen for A♭, C and E♭, which stay put while the rest moves. Fm7 on ukulele

A♭maj7 is a major seventh chord: a major triad with the note a half step below the octave added. All 4 notes of A♭maj7 fit on the ukulele's four strings. On ukulele you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

A short A♭maj7 drill

Arpeggiate 1-3-3-3 from the lowest string: A♭, E♭, G, C. Then strum it and listen for the same 4 notes together. Then switch to 5-7-4-6 and back four times without looking at your hand.

Written G♯maj7, it's the same chord with the same frets.

Keys and progressions with A♭maj7

In A♭ major, ii–V–I on ukulele is B♭m7 (1-1-1-1), E♭7 (3-3-3-4) and A♭maj7 (1-3-3-3). About the jazz cadence.

A♭maj7 on guitar and piano

A♭maj7 on guitar and piano uses the same 4 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Close to A♭maj7

Other major seventh chords

A♭maj7 on ukulele: questions

What notes are in A♭maj7 on ukulele?

A♭, C, E♭ and G. In the 1-3-3-3 shape the strings play A♭ (G string), E♭ (C string), G (E string) and C (A string).

What's the easiest way to play A♭maj7 on ukulele?

In standard tuning A♭maj7 can't use open strings. Begin with 1-3-3-3. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and a capo can make it easier in some songs.

Is A♭maj7 a barre chord on ukulele?

Not in its common form: 1-3-3-3 needs no barre.

Which string does A♭maj7 start on?

In the 1-3-3-3 shape the lowest string you play is the G string at the 1st fret, which is A♭, the root.

Every shape above plays only A♭, C, E♭ and G, checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.