A♭ Major Scale on Guitar: Notes, Shapes and Positions

Searching for G♯ major? It's the same scale, written here as A♭ major, because G♯ major would need double sharps.

The A♭ major scale (A flat major, written Ab major) is A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F and G. Its formula is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Start with the root on the low E string at the fourth fret, then learn the five positions below, from the G shape at the first fret up the neck.

Keys

A♭ Major Scale: 5 Positions

8C shape
10A shape
1G shape
3E shape
5D shape

CAGED Chords — A♭

8Position 1
11Position 2
1Position 3
4Position 4
6Position 5

Triads — A♭

Root position

8C shape
11A shape
1G shape
4E shape

Notes and formula

Degree1234567
NoteA♭B♭CD♭E♭FG

A♭ major has 4 flats (A♭, B♭, D♭ and E♭).

It's the same pitch as G♯: G♯ major would need double sharps. This page uses A♭ because it needs fewer accidentals, so every note is spelled with one letter each (A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F and G).

The A♭ major scale across the whole neck

Every A♭ major scale note from the nut to the 15th fret: F on the low E string, fret 1; G on the low E string, fret 3; A flat (root) on the low E string, fret 4; B flat on the low E string, fret 6; C on the low E string, fret 8; D flat on the low E string, fret 9; E flat on the low E string, fret 11; F on the low E string, fret 13; G on the low E string, fret 15; B flat on the A string, fret 1; C on the A string, fret 3; D flat on the A string, fret 4; E flat on the A string, fret 6; F on the A string, fret 8; G on the A string, fret 10; A flat (root) on the A string, fret 11; B flat on the A string, fret 13; C on the A string, fret 15; E flat on the D string, fret 1; F on the D string, fret 3; G on the D string, fret 5; A flat (root) on the D string, fret 6; B flat on the D string, fret 8; C on the D string, fret 10; D flat on the D string, fret 11; E flat on the D string, fret 13; F on the D string, fret 15; G on the G string, fret 0; A flat (root) on the G string, fret 1; B flat on the G string, fret 3; C on the G string, fret 5; D flat on the G string, fret 6; E flat on the G string, fret 8; F on the G string, fret 10; G on the G string, fret 12; A flat (root) on the G string, fret 13; B flat on the G string, fret 15; C on the B string, fret 1; D flat on the B string, fret 2; E flat on the B string, fret 4; F on the B string, fret 6; G on the B string, fret 8; A flat (root) on the B string, fret 9; B flat on the B string, fret 11; C on the B string, fret 13; D flat on the B string, fret 14; F on the high e string, fret 1; G on the high e string, fret 3; A flat (root) on the high e string, fret 4; B flat on the high e string, fret 6; C on the high e string, fret 8; D flat on the high e string, fret 9; E flat on the high e string, fret 11; F on the high e string, fret 13; G on the high e string, fret 15.

A♭ Major scale, frets 0–15. Roots (A♭) in green.

The root, A♭, sits on the low E string at the fourth fret and on the A string at the eleventh fret. Those are the anchors every position is built around.

One of the six open strings belong to A♭ major (G), so they can ring against fretted notes; the others will clash.

Position by position: G shape from the first fret; E shape from the third fret; D shape from the fifth fret; C shape from the eighth fret; A shape from the tenth fret.

Chords in A♭ major

The seven chords of A♭ major are I A♭, ii B♭m, iii Cm, IV D♭, V E♭, vi Fm and vii° G°.

So I–IV–V in A♭ is A♭, D♭ and E♭; the pop progression I–V–vi–IV is A♭, E♭, Fm, D♭; and ii–V–I is B♭m, E♭, A♭.

Its relative minor is F minor, the sixth note: the same seven notes, centred on F.

None of the key's chords has an open shape, so on guitar A♭ is played entirely with barre chords and CAGED shapes up the neck, or with a capo.

The nearest keys are a fifth away: E♭ major differs by one note: D instead of D♭; D♭ major differs by one note: G♭ instead of G.

To learn it, play the G shape from the first fret slowly, saying each note name, then link it to the next position up. Land on A♭ at the end of each run, and you'll hear the scale settle on its root.

A♭ Major scale FAQs

Which notes make up the A♭ major scale?

A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F and G. The formula is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.

What is the relative minor of A♭ major?

F minor. It uses the same seven notes as A♭ major, starting from the sixth note, F.

Where do I play the A♭ major scale on guitar?

Start from the root on the low E string at the fourth fret. The G shape from the first fret is the lowest of the five positions, and the other four continue up the neck to the 12th fret and beyond.

Learn more

The major scale on guitar explains how the scale is built and how to use it, and the guitar scale lessons set out what to learn next. The scale library has every scale in every key.