Chords in the key of Ab major on ukulele
The chords in the key of Ab major are built from the notes of the scale: Ab, Bbm, Cm, Db, Eb, Fm, Gdim. Almost every song in this key uses only these, with the dominant Eb7 leading back to Ab.
The chords of the key
- AbI
- Bbmii
- Cmiii
- DbIV
- EbV
- Eb7V7
- Fmvi
- Gdimvii°
| Degree | Chord | Function |
|---|---|---|
| I | Ab | tonic (rest) |
| ii | Bbm | subdominant (moves away) |
| iii | Cm | tonic (rest) |
| IV | Db | subdominant (moves away) |
| V | Eb | dominant (tension) |
| V7 | Eb7 | dominant (tension) |
| vi | Fm | tonic (rest) |
| vii° | Gdim | dominant (tension) |
Common progressions
- Pop (I–V –vi–IV): Ab – Eb – Fm – Db
- 50s (I–vi–IV–V): Ab – Fm – Db – Eb
- ii–V–I: Bbm – Eb7 – Ab – Ab
- Turnaround (I–vi | ii–V7): Ab Fm – Bbm Eb7
To improvise
The Ab major scale works over all these chords. To start with less risk, use the major pentatonic: five notes that almost never sound wrong in this key.
Relative key: F minor, with the same notes and a different home chord.