4 3 1 1 1 4
G# major
Notes: G# · B# · D#
More common: Ab major
Triads
Suspended
Sevenths
Extensions
Common shapes (4)
4 6 6 5 4 4
x x 6 8 9 8
x 11 10 8 9 8
Other shapes (18)
Showing 12 of 18
4 3 1 1 x x
x x 6 5 4 4
4 6 6 5 x x
4 3 x 5 4 x
4 x 1 1 1 x
4 3 1 x 1 x
4 3 x 1 4 x
4 3 1 x 4 x
4 3 1 1 1 x
4 x 6 5 4 x
4 6 x 5 4 x
4 3 6 x 4 x
About G# major
The G# major chord is made up of G# (root), B# (major third) and D# (perfect fifth). In scale degrees above the root, the formula is 1 – 3 – 5. It is a major chord: it sounds stable and bright, and it is the foundation of most chord progressions.
On guitar, G# major has 4 common shapes: the G, E, D and C shapes. These are CAGED system shapes, the basis for playing the same chord anywhere on the neck. There are 18 more voicings sorted by difficulty; use the viewer switches to add inversions and stretches. G# major is also written as Ab major: the same chord with the root spelled differently, and it sounds identical. The more common spelling is Ab major.