Ab Chromatic Scale on Piano

The Ab Chromatic scale sounds all twelve tones. It runs Ab – A – Bb – B – C – Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G.

Interval Circle

HHHHHHHHHHHHC3Db4Db5Eb5Eb6F6Gbb7G7Ab1Ab2Bb2Bb3

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

Every semitone inside the octave, in order. It has no tonal centre of its own, so it functions as a colouring device and as the standard exercise for training the thumb-under motion across black and white keys alike.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

3-1-3-1-2-3-1-3-1-2-3-1-3

Left Hand (ascending)

3-1-3-2-1-3-1-3-2-1-3-1-3

Why this fingering

5 black keys (Ab, Bb, Db, Eb, Gb) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto A, B, D, E and G; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in Ab Chromatic

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
AbAb4Root (1)33
AA4Minor 2nd (b2)11
BbBb4Major 2nd (2)33
BB4Minor 3rd (b3)12
CC5Major 3rd (3)21
DbDb5Perfect 4th (4)33
DD5Tritone (b5)11
EbEb5Perfect 5th (5)33
EE5Minor 6th (b6)12
FF5Major 6th (6)21
GbGb5Minor 7th (b7)33
GG5Major 7th (7)11
AbAb5Octave (8)33

Other Chromatic Scales

C Chromatic
C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A# – B
Db Chromatic
Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C
D Chromatic
D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C#
Eb Chromatic
Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C – Db – D
E Chromatic
E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D#
F Chromatic
F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C – Db – D – Eb – E
F# Chromatic
F# – G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F
G Chromatic
G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F#
A Chromatic
A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G#
Bb Chromatic
Bb – B – C – Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A
B Chromatic
B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A#

Other Ab Scales

Ab Major
Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G
Ab Major Pentatonic
Ab – Bb – C – Eb – F
Ab Mixolydian
Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb