A♭ major scale

4 flats: A♭ B♭ D♭ E♭ · pattern W–W–H–W–W–W–H

A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G

CFGA♭B♭D♭E♭A♭
Step patternWWHWWWH

Chords in A♭ major

IA♭
iiB♭m
iiiCm
IVD♭
VE♭
viFm
vii°Gdim

Scale degrees

DegreeNoteNameHalf steps from A♭
1A♭Tonic0
2B♭Supertonic2
3CMediant4
4D♭Subdominant5
5E♭Dominant7
6FSubmediant9
7GLeading tone11

About this scale

The major scale is the reference every other scale is compared with. A♭ major’s notes also form the chords I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi and vii° of the key — the backbone of most songs in A♭.

Relative key: F minor.

Seventh chords in A♭ major scale

Imaj7 A♭maj7ii7 B♭m7iii7 Cm7IVmaj7 D♭maj7V7 E♭7vi7 Fm7viiø7 Gm7♭5

Other A♭ scales

Major scale in other keys

Questions

What are the notes of the A♭ major scale?

A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, and back to A♭.

How many sharps or flats are in A♭ major scale?

4: A♭, B♭, D♭, E♭.

What is the step pattern of the major scale?

W–W–H–W–W–W–H, where W is a whole step (two keys) and H is a half step (the next key). Start that pattern on A♭ to get this scale.

What is the relative minor of A♭ major?

F minor. Both scales use the same notes but start on a different tonic.