A flat major scale on bass
The A flat major scale has 7 notes: A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G (A flat, B flat, C, D flat, E flat, F, and G).
- A♭ A flat 1
- B♭ B flat 2
- C 3
- D♭ D flat 4
- E♭ E flat 5
- F 6
- G 7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (A♭) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 6 (frets 1 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 1 (F), 3 (G), 4 (A♭)
- string 3: 1 (B♭), 3 (C), 4 (D♭)
- string 2: 1 (E♭), 3 (F), 5 (G)
- string 1: 1 (A♭), 3 (B♭), 5 (C)
Position 7 (frets 3 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (G), 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭)
- string 3: 3 (C), 4 (D♭), 6 (E♭)
- string 2: 3 (F), 5 (G), 6 (A♭)
- string 1: 3 (B♭), 5 (C), 6 (D♭)
Position 1 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭), 8 (C)
- string 3: 4 (D♭), 6 (E♭), 8 (F)
- string 2: 5 (G), 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)
- string 1: 5 (C), 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭)
Position 2 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (B♭), 8 (C), 9 (D♭)
- string 3: 6 (E♭), 8 (F), 10 (G)
- string 2: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
- string 1: 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
Position 3 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (C), 9 (D♭), 11 (E♭)
- string 3: 8 (F), 10 (G), 11 (A♭)
- string 2: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 11 (D♭)
- string 1: 8 (E♭), 10 (F), 12 (G)
Position 4 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 9 (D♭), 11 (E♭), 13 (F)
- string 3: 10 (G), 11 (A♭), 13 (B♭)
- string 2: 10 (C), 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭)
- string 1: 10 (F), 12 (G), 13 (A♭)
Position 5 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (E♭), 13 (F), 15 (G)
- string 3: 11 (A♭), 13 (B♭), 15 (C)
- string 2: 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
- string 1: 12 (G), 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭)
Fretboard positions
On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (A flat) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes.
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.
Formula
- A♭
- W
- B♭
- W
- C
- H
- D♭
- W
- E♭
- W
- F
- W
- G
- H
- A♭
Degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7. Steps: W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the major scale
The foundation of Western music (Ionian mode). Happy and stable; the chords of the major key come from it.
Harmonized scale (chords in the key)
The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | A♭ | A♭7M | tonic |
| IIm | B♭m | B♭m7 | subdominant |
| IIIm | Cm | Cm7 | tonic |
| IV | D♭ | D♭7M | subdominant |
| V | E♭ | E♭7 | dominant |
| VIm | Fm | Fm7 | tonic |
| VII° | G° | Gm7(b5) | dominant |
Arpeggios of these chords on bass
Scales with the same notes
Relative minor: F natural minor scale . Same notes, different center.
More A flat scales
- Major
- Natural minor (G♯)
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic (G♯)
- Blues (G♯)
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian (G♯)
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Locrian (G♯)
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião)
- Phrygian dominant (G♯)
- Whole-tone
- Diminished (whole-half) (G♯)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole)
Major in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the A flat major scale?
The notes of the A flat major scale are A flat, B flat, C, D flat, E flat, F, and G. The root, degree 1, is A flat.
What is the formula of the A flat major scale?
In degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7. In steps between the notes: W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the A flat major scale on bass?
On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (A flat) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes. There are 7 positions on bass, each with the full fingering.
Which chords belong to the A flat major scale?
The chords of the harmonized scale are: A♭, B♭m, Cm, D♭, E♭, Fm, G°.