Banjo A♭m chord (Open D)A♭ minor on the 5-string banjo: 1 2 2 1, and 3 more shapes

Abm chord chart for 5-string banjo in Open D tuning: 1 2 2 1, first position, with the short 5th string marked
Abm (Ab minor) on the 5-string banjo, Open D: 1 2 2 1, string 4 to string 1. Fingers are numbered on the dots; copper marks the root; the green ring on the left is the 5th string, solid when it’s in the chord.

Frets, string 4 to string 1: 1 2 2 1 (first position)

  1. String 4 (D): 1st fret, index finger (barre), E♭
  2. String 3 (F♯): 2nd fret, middle finger, A♭
  3. String 2 (A): 2nd fret, ring finger, C♭
  4. String 1 (D): 1st fret, index finger (barre), E♭
  5. String 5, the short f♯: open, F♯, not in the chord

Sounds: E♭ A♭ C♭ E♭  ·  A♭m is A♭, C♭, E♭ (1 · ♭3 · 5)

Found in: B major (vi), B mixolydian (vi), E major (iii), F♯ major (ii), F♯ mixolydian (ii), D♭ mixolydian (v)

The 5th string: the short f♯ adds the ♭7 over A♭m, a colour rather than a clash.

With a capo: on the 1st fret it’s 0 1 1 0 (frets counted from the capo), an open Gm shape. Spike the 5th string at the 6th fret to keep it in tune with the capo.

Open D tuning: f♯DF♯AD, the short 5th string first, then strings 4 to 1.

Hear it in the app ›

The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts in open G. Choose Open D once in its Settings and it remembers.

More A♭m shapes

  1. 5fr2134f♯A♭C♭E♭A♭6 5 6 6
    5fr
  2. 9fr1131f♯C♭E♭A♭C♭9 9 11 9
    9fr
  3. 13fr1231f♯E♭A♭C♭E♭13 14 14 13
    13fr

Other A♭ chords in Open D

A♭A♭mA♭7

Other minor chords

GmAmDmCmBmEmFmB♭mE♭mF♯mC♯mA♭m

A♭m in other tunings

Open GDouble CSawmillC Tuning

All Open D banjo chords · Printable chart (PDF) · How to tune · The app