A flat major pentatonic scale on cavaquinho
The A flat major pentatonic scale has 5 notes: A♭ B♭ C E♭ F (A flat, B flat, C, E flat, and F).
- A♭ A flat 1
- B♭ B flat 2
- C 3
- E♭ E flat 5
- F 6
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (A♭) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Box 5 (frets 3 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (F), 6 (A♭)
- string 3: 3 (B♭), 5 (C)
- string 2: 4 (E♭), 6 (F)
- string 1: 6 (A♭)
Box 1 (frets 5 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)
- string 3: 5 (C), 8 (E♭)
- string 2: 6 (F), 9 (A♭)
- string 1: 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
Box 2 (frets 8 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
- string 3: 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
- string 2: 9 (A♭), 11 (B♭)
- string 1: 10 (C)
Box 3 (frets 10 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 10 (C), 13 (E♭)
- string 3: 10 (F), 13 (A♭)
- string 2: 11 (B♭), 13 (C)
- string 1: 13 (E♭)
Box 4 (frets 13 to 16), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
- string 3: 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭)
- string 2: 13 (C), 16 (E♭)
- string 1: 15 (F)
Fretboard positions
On the neck, the scale splits into boxes of 2 notes per string. Box 1 starts on the root (A flat) on the lowest string; the others start on the next notes and chain together up the neck.
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
- 1½W
- E♭
- W
- F
- 1½W
- A♭
Degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 6. Steps: W – W – 1½W – W – 1½W (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the major pentatonic scale
Five notes and no half steps: it is almost impossible to sound "wrong". Common in country, rock and pop.
Scales with the same notes
Relative minor: F minor pentatonic 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 pentatonic in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the A flat major pentatonic scale?
The notes of the A flat major pentatonic scale are A flat, B flat, C, E flat, and F. The root, degree 1, is A flat.
What is the formula of the A flat major pentatonic scale?
In degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 6. In steps between the notes: W – W – 1½W – W – 1½W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the A flat major pentatonic scale on cavaquinho?
On the neck, the scale splits into boxes of 2 notes per string. Box 1 starts on the root (A flat) on the lowest string; the others start on the next notes and chain together up the neck. There are 5 boxes on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.