A♭ major scale on guitar
The A♭ major scale has 7 notes: A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F and G. The major scale is the reference point for most Western music: bright, settled and the source of the “do re mi” sound. Every other scale on this site is easiest to understand as a change to it.
Notes in A♭ major
- Formula
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Step pattern
- W – W – H – W – W – W – H
- Notes
- 7
Tap a note to hear it.
A♭ major across the neck
Every A♭ major note on the first 12 frets in standard tuning. Filled dots are the root, A♭. A good place to start: A♭ on the low E string is at fret 4, so play the notes between frets 3 and 7 first, then move up the neck.
Intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval from A♭ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♭ | Root |
| 2 | B♭ | Major 2nd |
| 3 | C | Major 3rd |
| 4 | D♭ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | E♭ | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | F | Major 6th |
| 7 | G | Major 7th |
Chords in A♭ major
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these triads. Any of them will sound “at home” with the A♭ major scale.
H = half step (1 fret), W = whole step (2 frets). Roman numerals: uppercase is major, lowercase is minor, ° is diminished, + is augmented.
Related scales
- Its relative minor is F minor: the same seven notes, starting from the 6th note.
- Drop the 4th and 7th and you get A♭ major pentatonic.
- Play the same notes from the 2nd note for B♭ Dorian, or from the 5th for E♭ Mixolydian.
Questions
What notes are in the A♭ major scale?
A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G. Its formula is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.
Where do I start the A♭ major scale on guitar?
A♭ on the low E string is at fret 4, so play the notes between frets 3 and 7 first. The fretboard map on this page shows every A♭ major note on the first 12 frets.
What scales are related to A♭ major?
Its relative minor is F minor: the same seven notes, starting from the 6th note.
More scales
Major in every key
Other scales from A♭