Ab Mixolydian Scale on Piano

The Ab Mixolydian scale sounds bright but unresolved. It runs Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb and is written with five flats.

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

Interval Circle

WWHWWHWC3Db4DEb5EF6Gbb7GAb1ABb2B

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

A major scale with a flattened 7th. Losing the leading tone removes the pull back to the tonic, so the scale can sit on a dominant chord indefinitely — the sound of blues-rock riffs and Celtic tunes.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

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

Left Hand (ascending)

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

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 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 Mixolydian

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
AbAb4Root (1)33
BbBb4Major 2nd (2)42
CC5Major 3rd (3)11
DbDb5Perfect 4th (4)23
EbEb5Perfect 5th (5)32
FF5Major 6th (6)11
GbGb5Minor 7th (b7)24
AbAb5Octave (8)33

Other Mixolydian Scales

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

Other Ab Scales

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