Ab Major

A flat Major scale for guitar.
The Ab Major is a seven-note scale. Notes are displayed in the diagram with blue color with the root notes indicated by darker color. The root notes are always Ab tones. In the two-octave pattern, the first root note is on the 6th string, 4th fret.

Ab Major 2 octaves

Ab Major scale diagram

Ab Major full fretboard

Ab Major scale whole guitar neck diagram

Ab Major note names

Ab Major scale with note letters diagram

Shape 1 (3rd position) with fingerings

Ab Major scale shape diagram 3rd pos

Shape 2 (6th position) with fingerings

Ab Major scale shape diagram 6th pos

Shape 3 (8th position) with fingerings

Ab Major scale shape diagram 8th pos

Shape 4 (10th position) with fingerings

Ab Major scale shape diagram 10th pos

Shape 5 (12th position) with fingerings

Ab Major scale shape diagram 12th pos
Notes: Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - G Intervals: 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1 Type: Septonic 
G Major scale  •  A Major scale

The scale displayed with its numeric formula and scale degrees.

Formula Notes Intervals Degrees
1 Ab Unison Tonic
2 Bb Major second Supertonic
3 C Major third Mediant
4 Db Augmented fourth Subdominant
5 Eb Perfect fifth Dominant
6 F Sixth Submediant
7 G Major seventh Leading tone

The interval formula (2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1) can be expound into specific notes of the scale.

Notes (ascending) Interval
Ab-Bb M2
Ab-C M3
Ab-Db P4
Ab-Eb P5
Ab-F M6
Ab-G M7
Notes (descending) Interval
Ab-G m2
Ab-F m3
Ab-Eb P4
Ab-Db P5
Ab-C m6
Ab-Bb m7

Abbreviations are used: M / m stands for major / minor and P stands for perfect.

The main three-note and four-note chords that are related to this scale are the following:

Chord Fingering Chord Fingering
Ab 466544 Abmaj7 465544
Bbm X13321 Bbm7 X13121
Cm X35543 Cm7 X35343
Db X46664 Dbmaj7 X46564
Eb X68886 Eb7 X68686
Fm 133111 Fm7 131111
Gdim XX5686 Gm7b5 XX5666

The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the Ab Major scale in which Ab is the tonic triad and Abmaj7 the tonic 7th chord.
The second and fourth columns include short notations for the chords in the first and third columns respectively. These are based on common ways to play the chord, but there are other alternatives. See more about this notation system on the FAQ page.

The A flat Major consists of seven notes (Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - G). These can be described as intervals, as semi-notes or steps on the guitar fingerboard, written as 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1 from the first note to the next octave.
The scale can be played on the guitar from different starting positions in which Ab functions as the tonic.
The Ab Major is relative to F Minor, which means that both scales include the same notes but with different tonal center.
The Ab Major is identical with the Ab Ionian mode.

Start the audio and play along with your guitar! Use notes from the scale in the diagram above.

Normal tempo:
Slow tempo:

All Major Scale jam tracks

The A flat scale presented in sheet music notation.

Ab Major scale with musical notes

The sheet music includes two octaves played ascending and descending.