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Guitar scales · Major pentatonic

A♭ major pentatonic scale on guitar (Ab major pentatonic)

The A♭ major has five notes: A♭, B♭, C, E♭ and F. As degrees: 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6.

Notes and pattern

The A♭ major pentatonic scale

Five notes, no . Country, folk and sweet rock melodies. Play it to hear it up and down.

From note to note it climbs 2, 2, 3, 2 and 3 : there are no , which is why it is so hard to hit a wrong note.

A♭ major has the same notes as F minor pentatonic, starting from A♭. See that scale.

  1. A♭1
  2. B♭2
  3. C3
  4. E♭5
  5. F6
EADGBE0135791215A♭A♭A♭A♭A♭A♭A♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CFB♭CE♭F
  • A♭, the root
  • Other scale notes

Positions

A♭ major pentatonic in five positions

The splits the neck into five overlapping positions, one per shape. Learn one, then join it to the next.

A♭ major · the whole neck

Five positions, each overlapping the next, repeating every 12 frets.

GGEEDCAAEADGBE0135791215A♭A♭A♭A♭A♭A♭A♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CE♭FB♭CFB♭CE♭F
  • Root (A♭)
  • Pentatonic tone

Chords

What to play A♭ major pentatonic over

Play it over songs in A♭ major or F minor. Over a blues in A♭ (A♭7, D♭7 and E♭7) it gives a sweeter, country sound than the minor .

Same root

Change a note or two and the same takes on a new mood.

Questions

A♭ major pentatonic, in short

What notes are in the A♭ major pentatonic scale?
The A♭ major has five notes: A♭, B♭, C, E♭ and F. As degrees: 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6.
What chords go with the A♭ major pentatonic scale?
Play it over songs in A♭ major or F minor. Over a blues in A♭ (A♭7, D♭7 and E♭7) it gives a sweeter, country sound than the minor pentatonic.
What is the relative minor of A♭ major pentatonic?
A♭ major pentatonic has the same notes as F minor pentatonic, starting from A♭.
All guitar scales