Learn › A Flat Major Chord Inversions (Ab, Ab/C, Ab/Eb)
New Released in April 2026
A Flat Major Chord Inversions (Ab, Ab/C, Ab/Eb)
The A flat major chord has three positions. Put C in the bass for the 1st inversion (Ab/C) and Eb in the bass for the 2nd inversion (Ab/Eb). Root position starts on Ab. Below: each position on the keyboard, how to tell them apart, the fingering for each one and a progression that uses them.
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Ab inversions on the keyboard
Same notes, new bass: that is all an inversion changes.
Root position: Ab C Eb
1st inversion: C Eb Ab
2nd inversion: Eb Ab C
- Root position: starts on Ab, a black key; black keys: Ab, Eb
- 1st inversion: starts on C, a white key; black keys: Eb, Ab
- 2nd inversion: starts on Eb, a black key; black keys: Eb, Ab
Inversions in a progression: Ab → Db/Ab → Eb/G → Ab
Played in root position, Ab, Db and Eb make the hand jump. With inversions every chord sits in the same place: Ab → Db/Ab → Eb/G → Ab. Most notes stay, the others move a step.
- From Ab to Db/Ab: Ab stays, C → Db, Eb → F.
- From Db/Ab to Eb/G: Ab → G, Db → Bb, F → Eb.
- From Eb/G to Ab: G → Ab, Bb → C, Eb stays.
Spotting each inversion of Ab
Two thirds stacked = root position. A fourth anywhere = an inversion, and the root is its top note.
| Position | Bass | Name | Figured bass | Shape (bottom to top) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | Ab | Ab | 5/3 | major 3rd + minor 3rd |
| 1st inversion | C | Ab/C | 6 (6/3) | minor 3rd + perfect 4th |
| 2nd inversion | Eb | Ab/Eb | 6/4 | perfect 4th + major 3rd |
Both hands, all three positions
| Position | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|
| Root position (Ab C Eb) | 1-3-5 | 5-3-1 |
| 1st inversion (C Eb Ab) | 1-2-5 | 5-3-1 |
| 2nd inversion (Eb Ab C) | 1-3-5 | 5-2-1 |
Keep the thumb on the lowest note in the right hand and the little finger on the lowest note in the left.
Make the inversions automatic
ChordRunner accepts every voicing, so you can drill Ab/C and Ab/Eb at speed between other chords. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
Play the demoThe Ab chord · All piano chords · Chord inversions explained
Common questions
What notes are in the Ab chord 1st inversion?
C Eb Ab, from the bottom up. It is still Ab; the slash name Ab/C tells you that C is the lowest note.
What is the second inversion of A flat major?
The 2nd inversion is Eb Ab C, written Ab/Eb: the fifth, Eb, is in the bass. Figured bass calls it a 6/4 chord.
What fingering do I use for Ab inversions?
Right hand: 1-3-5 for root position and 2nd inversion, 1-2-5 for the 1st inversion. Left hand: 5-3-1 for root position and 1st inversion, 5-2-1 for the 2nd inversion.
When are Ab inversions used?
Whenever Ab follows or precedes a nearby chord. In Ab → Db/Ab → Eb/G → Ab the bass walks by small steps and the right hand hardly moves, which is how accompaniments sound smooth.
Can I practise Ab/C and Ab/Eb with a MIDI keyboard?
Yes. ChordRunner detects a USB MIDI keyboard automatically and also listens through the microphone to an acoustic piano. Every inversion of Ab is accepted, so you can drill them in any order.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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