So you have decided to learn the A flat major scale.
It is essential to learn the scales and associated harmony to develop as a musician, as it gives you insight into the musical keys and their functioning.
In the present article on the A flat major scale, we will go through all the essential aspects of playing this scale on guitar. This includes its theory, intervals, notes, chords, relative & parallel minors, patterns on the fretboard, how to play each pattern, etc.
Read the complete article to know the A flat major scale in detail and enhance your musical journey!
Introduction To A Flat Major scale
Pauer described the key of A flat major as “full of feeling, and replete with a dreamy expression.” In the words of the composer Christian Schubart, it is a “key of the grave” and that “death, grave, putrefaction, judgment, eternity lie in its radius.”
A reasonable number of notable musical works have been composed in A-flat major, though it remains less used among the popular major keys. Beethoven’s Piao Sonata No. 12, Dvorak’s String Quartet No. 14, and Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag are in this key.
The list of symphonies in A flat major scale is attached here.
A Flat major scale Notes
The notes of the A Flat Major scale are
- 1st Note – Root – Ab
- 2nd Note – M2 – Bb
- 3rd Note – M3 – C
- 4th Note – P4 – Db
- 5th Note – P5 – Eb
- 6th Note – M6 – F
- 7th Note – M7 – G
The notes of the Ab Major scale are {Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab(O)}, where Ab(O) is the Ab note one octave higher than the root. G is the leading tone for this scale.
The key signature of the A flat major scale has four flats. Hence to play it on a piano keyboard, you require four black and three white keys.
Keyboard Diagram.
Scale Degrees
| Intervals | Root | M2 | M3 | P4 | P5 | M6 | M7 | P8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale Degrees | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1(8) |
| Notes | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | G | Ab(O) |
A Flat Major Scale On The Treble And Bass Clef:
Treble Clef:
Bass Clef:
A Flat major scale Guitar Positions
The complete scale in a single line is on the Low E string.
The CAGED pattern guitar neck scale diagrams for A Flat Major scale positions are given below.
Please find the guitar tabs for the five patterns for the A Flat major scale in the below diagrams.
Guitar Tabs
E Shaped Scale Pattern
D Shaped Pattern
C Shaped Pattern
A Shaped Pattern
G Shaped Pattern
Please find the recommended fingering arrangement for different CAGED patterns in the diagrams below.
The Chords Of The A-flat Major Key?
| Scale Degrees | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord Designation | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | viidim |
| Scale Degree Names | Tonic | Super-Tonic | Mediant | Sub-Dominant | Dominant | Sub-Mediant | Leading Tone |
| Chord Names | Ab | Bbm | Cm | Db | Eb | F | Gdim |
| Chord Quality | Major | minor | minor | Major | Major | minor | dim |
The following triad chords result from the A flat major scale.
- Three Major chords – I, IV, and V – Ab, Db, and Eb Major chords.
- Three minor chords – ii, iii, and vi – Bbm, Cm, and Fm.
- One diminished chord, the vii° – Gdim.
- Dominant Chord – 5th scale degree – Eb Major
- Subdominant Chord – 4th Scale Degree – Db Major
What Are The Note Names In These Triad Chords?
| Scale Degrees | Intervals | Chord Notes | Chord Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R – Ab – M3 – C – m3 – Eb | Ab C Eb | Ab |
| 2 | R – Bb – m3 – Db – M3 – F | Bb Db F | Bbm |
| 3 | R – C – m3 – Eb – M3 – G | C Eb G | Cm |
| 4 | R – Db – M3 – F – m3 – Ab | Db F Ab | Db |
| 5 | R – Eb – M3 – G – m3 – Bb | Eb G Bb | Eb |
| 6 | R – F – m3 – Ab – M3 – C | F Ab C | Fm |
| 7 | R – G – m3 – Bb – m3 – Db | G Bb Db | Gdim |
7th Chords Of A Flat Major Scale With Notes
| Scale Degrees | Chord Name | Roman N Designation | Chord Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AbMaj7 | IM7 | Ab - C - Eb - G |
| 2 | Bbm7 | iim7 | Bb - Db - F - Ab |
| 3 | Cm7 | iiim7 | C - Eb - G - Bb |
| 4 | DbMaj7 | IVM7 | Db - F - Ab - C |
| 5 | Eb7 | V7 | Eb – G – Bb - Db |
| 6 | Fm7 | vim7 | F – Ab – C - Eb |
| 7 | Gm7b5 | viiø7 | G – Bb – Db - F |
Relative & Parallel Minor Of A-flat major
Relative Minor: F minor scale {F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, and Eb.} – Relative major and minor scales have the same notes. Four flat notes.
Parallel Minor: A Flat Minor scale {Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, & Gb.} – this scale has all the flat notes, as against the A minor scale that has all the natural notes [A B C D E F G].
Enharmonic Equivalent: G Sharp Major scale {G#, A#, B#, C#, D#, E#, F##} – Six sharps and one double sharps
Modes Of A Flat Major Scale
- Ab Ionian.
- Bb Dorian.
- C Phrygian.
- Db Lydian.
- Eb Mixolydian.
- F Aeolian.
- G Locrian.
Songs In The Key Of A-flat major
Some of the popular songs in the key of A flat major scale are:
- “Take a Bow” by Madonna.
- “I Want You Back” by Jackson 5.
- “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees.
- “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson.
- “Firework” by Katy Perry.
- “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana.
- “Highway to Hell” by AC-DC.
- “All I Do” by Stevie Wonder.
- “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck.
- “Sweet Love” by Anita Baker.
- “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston.
- “Love on Top” by Beyoncé
Conclusion
We hope that you found the above article on A flat major scale informative for you. Do write to us in the comments section below if you want to share your experience or have some extra tips for our readers on the topic.
