Ab Major Scale on Piano

The Ab Major scale sounds bright and resolved. It runs Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G and is written with four flats.

It shares its key signature with F minor, its relative minor.

Interval Circle

WWHWWWHC3Db4DEb5EF6GbG7Ab1ABb2B

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

The reference point for Western tonality. Its half steps sit between the 3rd and 4th and between the 7th and 8th degrees, and that leading tone pulling up into the tonic is what makes it sound finished.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

3-4-1-2-3-1-2-3

Left Hand (ascending)

3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3

Why this fingering

4 black keys (Ab, Bb, Db, Eb) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto C and F; 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 Major

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
AbAb4Root (1)33
BbBb4Major 2nd (2)42
CC5Major 3rd (3)11
DbDb5Perfect 4th (4)24
EbEb5Perfect 5th (5)33
FF5Major 6th (6)12
GG5Major 7th (7)21
AbAb5Octave (8)33

Other Major Scales

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

Other Ab Scales

Ab Major Pentatonic
Ab – Bb – C – Eb – F
Ab Mixolydian
Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb
Ab Chromatic
Ab – A – Bb – B – C – Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G