A flat major scale
The A♭ major scale is A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭. It has 4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭ and D♭), its relative minor is F minor, and the standard piano fingering is 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 in the right hand and 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 in the left hand.
A flat major scale notes
The A♭ major scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭. Four of the seven are black keys on the piano (A♭, B♭, D♭ and E♭); the other three are white keys.
The step pattern is W W H W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between C and D♭ and G and A♭.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | A♭ | do | Black |
| 2 | Supertonic | B♭ | re | Black |
| 3 | Mediant | C | mi | White |
| 4 | Subdominant | D♭ | fa | Black |
| 5 | Dominant | E♭ | sol | Black |
| 6 | Submediant | F | la | White |
| 7 | Leading tone | G | ti | White |
A flat major key signature
The A♭ major key signature has 4 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭ and D♭, written in that order at the start of every line. Flats are always added in the order B, E, A, D, G, C, F. F minor shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the flats sit B♭ on the third line from the bottom, E♭ in the fourth space from the bottom, A♭ in the second space from the bottom and D♭ on the fourth line from the bottom.
Shortcut: the second to last flat, A♭, names the major key (A♭ major).
A flat major scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭ | 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 |
| Left hand | A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭ | 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 |
Right hand going up: B♭ (finger 4) to C (finger 1), the thumb passes under; then E♭ (finger 3) to F (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: C (finger 1) to D♭ (finger 4), the finger passes over the thumb; then G (finger 1) to A♭ (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in A flat major
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of A♭ major. The primary chords are A♭ (I), D♭ (IV) and E♭ (V).
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | A♭ | A♭ C E♭ | A♭maj7 | A♭ C E♭ G |
| ii | B♭m | B♭ D♭ F | B♭m7 | B♭ D♭ F A♭ |
| iii | Cm | C E♭ G | Cm7 | C E♭ G B♭ |
| IV | D♭ | D♭ F A♭ | D♭maj7 | D♭ F A♭ C |
| V | E♭ | E♭ G B♭ | E♭7 | E♭ G B♭ D♭ |
| vi | Fm | F A♭ C | Fm7 | F A♭ C E♭ |
| vii° | G° | G B♭ D♭ | Gm7♭5 | G B♭ D♭ F |
One of the most common progressions in pop music, I V vi IV, is A♭, E♭, Fm, D♭ in A♭ major. A ii V I cadence is B♭m7, E♭7, A♭maj7.
Reading A flat major on the staff
A flat major has four flats and uses four black keys. Its right hand fingering starts on the third finger, because the thumb belongs on the white keys C and F.
On the treble staff, A♭4 to A♭5 needs 1 ledger line above the staff. On the bass staff, A♭3 to A♭4 needs 3 ledger lines above the staff. Because of those ledger lines, left hand parts in this key are often written an octave lower, from A♭2.
The reading trap in A♭ major is the key signature: the flats are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (B♭, E♭, A♭ and D♭), then check every B, E, A and D on the page.
How to practise the A flat major scale
- Say the notes before you play them: A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 in the right hand and 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: A♭ (A♭ C E♭), D♭ (D♭ F A♭) and E♭ (E♭ G B♭).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills major scales, triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to A flat major
- F minor scale: relative minor, same key signature
- A flat minor scale (same keys as G sharp minor): parallel minor, same tonic
- E flat major scale: a fifth above, 3 flats
- D flat major scale: a fifth below, 5 flats
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the A flat major scale?
The A♭ major scale is A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, then A♭ again an octave higher.
How many flats are in A flat major?
A flat major has 4 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭ and D♭.
What is the relative minor of A flat major?
F minor. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on F.
What chords are in A flat major?
A♭ (I), B♭m (ii), Cm (iii), D♭ (IV), E♭ (V), Fm (vi), G° (vii°).
What is the fingering for the A flat major scale on piano?
Right hand 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 going up from A♭; left hand 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.