A♭9 chord on ukulele

A♭9 is A♭, C, E♭, G♭ and B♭. The easiest shape is 1-0-2-1. Tap Play, then slow it down.

1-0-2-1 · open · easy

Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G♭ · B♭
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9
First shape: 1-0-2-1

How to play A♭9 on ukulele

Shape 1, 1-0-2-1, reading from the G string on the left:

A♭: index finger, 1st fret of the G string.
B♭: middle finger, 1st fret of the A string.
G♭: ring finger, 2nd fret of the E string.
Leave the C string open: C.

Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.
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♭9

11-10-8-11: movable shape at the 8th fret, medium. Higher up the neck it sounds brighter; handy when another guitar is already playing a lower shape.

A♭9 chord changes

The chords A♭9 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

C♯ (dominant, pulls to the chord a fifth below): A♭9 (1-0-2-1) to C♯ (6-5-4-4): move the index finger to the E string, 4th fret, move the middle finger to the A string, 4th fret, the ring finger goes to the C string, 5th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the G string, 6th fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Shared note: A♭. C♯ on ukulele
C♯maj7 (I in D♭ major): A♭9 (1-0-2-1) to C♯maj7 (1-1-1-3): your index finger stays put, your middle finger lands on the C string, 1st fret, move the ring finger to the E string, 1st fret, the pinky finger comes down on the A string, 3rd fret. The two chords share A♭ and C, which is why the change sounds smooth. C♯maj7 on ukulele
B♭m7 (vi in D♭ major): A♭9 (1-0-2-1) to B♭m7 (1-1-1-1): your index finger stays put, the middle finger goes to the C string, 1st fret, move the ring finger to the E string, 1st fret, the pinky finger comes down on the A string, 1st fret. Listen for A♭ and B♭, which stay put while the rest moves. B♭m7 on ukulele

A♭9 is a dominant ninth: A♭7 with the ninth on top. With four strings, shape 1 leaves out the perfect fifth (E♭); the ear fills it in, and the chord still reads as A♭9. The usual guitar shape, 4-6-4-5-4-6, has room for all of them. Play it once strummed and once picked to hear the difference.

Practice A♭9 in two minutes

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: A♭, C, G♭, B♭. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Next, alternate 1-0-2-1 and 11-10-8-11, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

Written G♯9, it's the same chord with the same frets.

A♭9 in context

A♭9 on guitar and piano

The same notes on another instrument: A♭9 on guitar and A♭9 on piano. This page puts all three side by side.

Related A♭ chords on ukulele

Other dominant ninth chords

A♭9 on ukulele: questions

What notes are in A♭9 on ukulele?

A♭, C, E♭, G♭ and B♭. In the 1-0-2-1 shape the strings play A♭ (G string), C (C string, open), G♭ (E string) and B♭ (A string).

What's the easiest way to play A♭9 on ukulele?

1-0-2-1, shape 1 above. Open strings do part of the work, so no barre.

Is A♭9 a barre chord on ukulele?

Not in its common form: 1-0-2-1 needs no barre.

Which string does A♭9 start on?

In the 1-0-2-1 shape the lowest string you play is the G string at the 1st fret, which is A♭, the root.

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes A♭, C, E♭, G♭ and B♭ and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.