A♭ Minor
Key Signature
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tonic | A♭ |
| Mode | Minor |
| Accidentals | 7 flats |
| Key Signature Notes | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭ |
A♭ minor has seven flats and is enharmonically equivalent to G♯ minor. It is theoretically constructed; G♯ minor is typically preferred in practice.
Diatonic Chords
The seven diatonic chords of A♭ Minor — each built on a scale degree using only the notes of the key signature:
| Degree | Roman Numeral | Chord Type | Chord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Minor | A♭ Minor |
| 2 | ii° | Diminished | B♭ Diminished |
| 3 | III | Major | C♭ Major |
| 4 | iv | Minor | D♭ Minor |
| 5 | v | Minor | E♭ Minor |
| 6 | VI | Major | F♭ Major |
| 7 | VII | Major | G♭ Major |
Related Keys
- Relative Major
- C♭ Major — shares the same key signature.
- Parallel Major
- A♭ Major — same tonic, different key signature.
See all key relationships on the Circle of Fifths.
Scales in A♭ Minor
Common scales built from the A♭ tonic:
Transposing Instrument Context
B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor saxophone) read in B♭ minor to sound A♭ Minor. E♭ instruments (alto saxophone, E♭ clarinet) read in F minor to sound A♭ Minor. Flat-key signatures are particularly comfortable for woodwind instruments designed around B♭ and E♭ transpositions.