A flat major scale on cavaquinho
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 17. The root (A♭) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 6 (frets 3 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (F), 5 (G), 6 (A♭)
- string 3: 3 (B♭), 5 (C), 6 (D♭)
- string 2: 4 (E♭), 6 (F)
- string 1: 5 (G), 6 (A♭)
Position 7 (frets 5 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 5 (G), 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)
- string 3: 5 (C), 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭)
- string 2: 6 (F), 8 (G), 9 (A♭)
- string 1: 8 (B♭)
Position 1 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
- string 3: 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
- string 2: 8 (G), 9 (A♭)
- string 1: 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
Position 2 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 11 (D♭)
- string 3: 8 (E♭), 10 (F), 12 (G)
- string 2: 9 (A♭), 11 (B♭)
- string 1: 10 (C), 11 (D♭)
Position 3 (frets 10 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 10 (C), 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭)
- string 3: 10 (F), 12 (G), 13 (A♭)
- string 2: 11 (B♭), 13 (C), 14 (D♭)
- string 1: 13 (E♭)
Position 4 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
- string 3: 12 (G), 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭)
- string 2: 13 (C), 14 (D♭)
- string 1: 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
Position 5 (frets 13 to 17), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 13 (E♭), 15 (F), 17 (G)
- string 3: 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭), 17 (C)
- string 2: 14 (D♭), 16 (E♭)
- string 1: 15 (F), 17 (G)
Fretboard positions
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (A flat).
On the cavaquinho the strings sit close together in pitch, and the 3-notes-per-string shape from the guitar would turn into a 7-fret stretch. That is why each position here fits within 5 frets.
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.
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 cavaquinho?
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (A flat). There are 7 positions on cavaquinho, 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°.