A♭ major
Four flats, B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭. Seven notes: A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G. Try the key’s seven chords in different places on the neck. Press a shape to hear it and see its notes.
G♯ and A♭ are the same pitch. This scale is written as A♭ major because that spelling needs fewer accidentals than G♯ major.
Across one chord in different positions. Down the chords in one position. | ||||
| IMainA♭A♭ · C · E♭ | ||||
| iiB♭mB♭ · D♭ · F | ||||
| iiiCmC · E♭ · G | ||||
| IVMainD♭D♭ · F · A♭ | ||||
| VMainE♭E♭ · G · B♭ | ||||
| viMainFmF · A♭ · C | ||||
| vii°G°G · B♭ · D♭ |
Sounds good
Three patterns to try
Walk up to D♭. Strum A♭, pick B♭ and C on the way up, land on D♭. Listen to how the bass connects the chords.
Triads on the top three strings. Three notes, two places, all A♭. Try them when a full six-string chord feels too busy.
- LowFrets 4–5
- HighFrets 8–9
Same chords, higher. The four main chords in frets 1 to 4, then again in frets 5 to 9. Listen to how the higher voicings change the sound.
Exercises in A♭ major
Four drills, with a click
Play along with the metronome. The neck above highlights each step.
- Four chords in one positionA♭ – D♭ – E♭ – Fm without leaving frets 3 to 6.70 bpmLevel 1
- Climb with one chordA♭ in all four places, low to high. Hear it brighten.60 bpmLevel 1
- Walk up to D♭Strum A♭, then walk the bass B♭ – C into D♭.90 bpmLevel 2
- Scale, then chordsPlay the scale in frets 5 to 9, then the four chords there.70 bpmLevel 2
Why four flats
E♭ major with D lowered
- A♭
- B♭
- C
- D♭
- E♭
- F
- G
- A♭
- B♭
- C
- D
- E♭
- F
- G
A♭ major is E♭ major with D lowered to D♭.