Ab Bebop Major Scale
Notes in the Ab Bebop Major Scale
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | Ab | 415.305 Hz |
| 2 | Supertonic | Bb | 466.164 Hz |
| 3 | Mediant | C | 261.626 Hz |
| 4 | Subdominant | Db | 277.183 Hz |
| 5 | Dominant | Eb | 311.127 Hz |
| ♯5 | Chromatic | E | 329.628 Hz |
| 6 | Submediant | F | 349.228 Hz |
| 7 | Leading Tone | G | 391.995 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Ab | Bb |
| 2 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Bb | C |
| 3 | Half Step (H) | 1 | C | Db |
| 4 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Db | Eb |
| 5 | Half Step (H) | 1 | Eb | E |
| 6 | Half Step (H) | 1 | E | F |
| 7 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | F | G |
| 8 | Half Step (H) | 1 | G | Ab |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ab | Ab | major |
| 2 | Bb | Bb diminished | diminished |
| 3 | C | C (complex) | other |
| 4 | Db | Db diminished | diminished |
| 5 | Eb | Eb (complex) | other |
| ♯5 | E | E diminished | diminished |
| 6 | F | F minor | minor |
| 7 | G | G diminished | diminished |
Key Signature
4 ♭ — The Ab key signature uses Bb, Eb, Ab, Db.
Ab Bebop Major Scale in Practice
The Ab Bebop Major Scale uses the key signature of 4 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db). Ab 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. On guitar, Ab positions offer comfortable transposing instrument keys for this scale.
The bebop major scale adds a chromatic passing tone (♯5) between the 5th and 6th degrees of the major scale. This creates an 8-note scale that aligns chord tones on strong beats.
Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments
Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.
| Note | Equal Temp. | Pythagorean | Just Intonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ab | 415.305 Hz | 417.657 Hz | 418.601 Hz |
| Bb | 466.164 Hz | 463.538 Hz | 470.926 Hz |
| C | 261.626 Hz | 260.740 Hz | 261.626 Hz |
| Db | 277.183 Hz | 278.437 Hz | 279.067 Hz |
| Eb | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 Hz |
| E | 329.628 Hz | 330.001 Hz | 327.032 Hz |
| F | 349.228 Hz | 347.654 Hz | 348.834 Hz |
| G | 391.995 Hz | 391.111 Hz | 392.438 Hz |
Related Scales
Transposing Instruments: Ab Bebop Major Scale
Ab is a natural key for B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax), which sound a major second lower than written. B♭ instruments reading in C produce Ab concert pitch. E♭ instruments (alto sax, baritone sax) reading in Ab sound a major sixth lower.