The G-flat major triad, more commonly called the G-flat major chord or simply the G-flat chord for short, consists of the notes G-flat, B-flat and D-flat. It is enharmonic with the F-sharp major chord – meaning that both chords are the same on the piano, even though the notes are different.
Here it is on the bass clef staff:
As a major triad, the G-flat chord consists of a major third plus a minor third. The interval from G-flat to B-flat is a major third, while the interval between B-flat and D-flat is a minor third.
If the root of the G-flat chord – G-flat – is the bass note (i.e., the bottom note), then the chord is in root position:
If the third of the chord – B-flat – is the bottom note, then the chord is in first inversion:
If the fifth of the chord – D-flat – is the bass note, then the chord is in second inversion. (D-flat is called the fifth of the chord because the interval from the root G-flat to D-flat is a fifth.)
If the notes of a chord are played one after the other, the chord is said to be arpeggiated. Here are the standard fingerings for arpeggios of the G-flat chord. Make sure you learn these fingerings!
(If you don’t understand the below notation, you should start with my How to Read Sheet Music course.)
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