Banjo A♭ chord (Open G)A♭ major on the 5-string banjo: 1 1 1 1, and 1 more shape

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

1. String 4 (D): 1st fret, index finger (barre), E♭
2. String 3 (G): 1st fret, index finger (barre), A♭
3. String 2 (B): 1st fret, index finger (barre), C
4. String 1 (D): 1st fret, index finger (barre), E♭
5. String 5, the short g: open, G, not in the chord

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

Found in: C minor (♭VI), E♭ major (IV), D♭ major (V), A♭ major (I), B♭ mixolydian (♭VII), E♭ mixolydian (IV)

The 5th string: the short g rubs against the A♭ in this shape, a semitone away: some players let it ring, some skip it.

Up the neck: F shape: 6 5 4 6 (4fr); D shape: 10 8 9 10 (8fr); Barre shape: 13 13 13 13 (13fr). Slide a shape up or down to play another chord of its kind.

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

Open G tuning: gDGBD, the short 5th string first, then strings 4 to 1.