A♭ Major
Key Signature
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tonic | A♭ |
| Mode | Major |
| Accidentals | 4 flats |
| Key Signature Notes | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ |
A♭ major has four flats and a full, somewhat dark sound. It is a common key in Romantic piano music and is frequently encountered in orchestral and choral writing.
Diatonic Chords
The seven diatonic chords of A♭ Major — each built on a scale degree using only the notes of the key signature:
| Degree | Roman Numeral | Chord Type | Chord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | Major | A♭ Major |
| 2 | ii | Minor | B♭ Minor |
| 3 | iii | Minor | C Minor |
| 4 | IV | Major | D♭ Major |
| 5 | V | Major | E♭ Major |
| 6 | vi | Minor | F Minor |
| 7 | vii° | Diminished | G Diminished |
Related Keys
- Relative Minor
- F Minor — shares the same key signature.
- Parallel Minor
- A♭ Minor — same tonic, different key signature.
See all key relationships on the Circle of Fifths.
Scales in A♭ Major
Common scales built from the A♭ tonic:
Transposing Instrument Context
B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor saxophone) read in B♭ major to sound A♭ Major. E♭ instruments (alto saxophone, E♭ clarinet) read in F major to sound A♭ Major. Flat-key signatures are particularly comfortable for woodwind instruments designed around B♭ and E♭ transpositions.