Ab Major Pentatonic Scale
Notes in the Ab Major Pentatonic 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 |
| 5 | Dominant | Eb | 311.127 Hz |
| 6 | Submediant | F | 349.228 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 | Aug 2nd (WH) | 3 | C | Eb |
| 4 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Eb | F |
| 5 | Aug 2nd (WH) | 3 | F | Ab |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ab | Ab (complex) | other |
| 2 | Bb | Bb (complex) | other |
| 3 | C | C (complex) | other |
| 5 | Eb | Eb (complex) | other |
| 6 | F | F (complex) | other |
Key Signature
4 ♭ — The Ab key signature uses Bb, Eb, Ab, Db.
Ab Major Pentatonic Scale in Practice
The Ab Major Pentatonic 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 major pentatonic scale uses five notes from the major scale, omitting the 4th and 7th degrees. It has a bright, open sound widely used in folk, country, and pop music.
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 |
| Eb | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 Hz |
| F | 349.228 Hz | 347.654 Hz | 348.834 Hz |
Related Scales
Transposing Instruments: Ab Major Pentatonic 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.