A♭ major pentatonic scale
A♭ major pentatonic is A♭ B♭ C E♭ F. Major pentatonic: five notes taken from the major scale without the fourth and seventh, an open, consonant collection with no semitones.
- Formula
- 1 2 3 5 6
- Steps
- W W W+H W W+H
- Notes
- 5
- Key signature
- 4 flats
- Also written
- G♯ major pentatonic
Notes and degrees
The A♭ major pentatonic scale has five notes: A♭ B♭ C E♭ F. Each degree is named by its distance from the tonic, A♭.
| Degree | Note | Interval above A♭ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P1 | ||
| 2 | M2 | ||
| 3 | M3 | ||
| 4 | P5 | ||
| 5 | M6 |
On the piano
Every key of the scale is lit in its own colour. Click one to hear it.
On the guitar
Every A♭ scale tone on the first twelve frets in standard tuning. The tonic is ringed. Click a dot to hear the note.
What it sounds like
The major pentatonic uses degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of the major scale, so it contains no semitones. Its intervals are whole steps and minor thirds, which leaves no note that clashes strongly with the tonic. Because it omits the fourth and seventh, it has no leading tone and no tritone. The result is open, consonant, and easy to sing. The gaps between notes are wide enough that melodies can leap without sounding unsettled, which explains its appeal in simple tunes.
Where you hear it
Five-note collections of this kind appear in many folk traditions, including East Asian and Celtic music. Children's songs and hymns often stay close to the pattern, and pop, country, and gospel writers use it for open, singable hooks. Improvisers play it over major chords because all five notes fit the chord without a clash. Pianists often play it on the black keys, which form the same pattern on F♯ or G♭.
How it is built
The major pentatonic comes from the major scale by removing degrees 4 and 7, so its parent is the major pattern starting on the tonic. On C, it has the notes C D E G A, which are the same pitches as A minor pentatonic. The major and minor pentatonics form a relative pair that share one set of five notes. Because the set has no fourth or seventh, it contains no leading tone, and it fits both major and minor triads built on its own notes.
Scales with the same notes
These scales use the same five pitches as A♭ major pentatonic, starting from a different note.
Other A♭ scales
- A♭ major
- A♭ natural minor
- A♭ harmonic minor
- A♭ melodic minor
- A♭ Dorian
- A♭ Phrygian
- A♭ Lydian
- A♭ Mixolydian
- A♭ minor pentatonic
- A♭ blues
- A♭ whole-tone
- A♭ diminished (whole–half)
- A♭ diminished (half–whole)
- A♭ Phrygian dominant
- A♭ Lydian dominant
- A♭ double harmonic major
- A♭ Hungarian minor
- A♭ bebop dominant
How to practise it
Play F♯ major pentatonic on the black keys, then C major pentatonic on the white keys, and hear that the two patterns have the same shape. Improvise over a C major vamp using only the five notes of C major pentatonic, then add the fourth or seventh one at a time to hear how the major scale changes the color. Practice the pattern in every key by moving the tonic around the circle of fifths.
Enharmonic spelling
A♭ and G♯ are the same pitch, so this scale can also be written as G♯ major pentatonic: G♯ A♯ B♯ D♯ E♯. The spelling that needs fewer accidentals is the one you will usually meet.
Further reading
- Pentatonic and Blues Scales: Patterns With a PurposeFundamentals · 6 min
- CAGED System Explained: Five Shapes That Cover the NeckGuitar & Fretboard · 7 min
Questions
What are the notes of the A♭ major pentatonic scale?
The A♭ major pentatonic scale is A♭, B♭, C, E♭, F. Written ascending it returns to A♭ an octave higher.
What is the formula for the A♭ major pentatonic scale?
The formula is 1 2 3 5 6 measured from the major scale. As steps that is W, W, W+H, W, W+H (W is a whole step, H a half step).
What key signature does A♭ major pentatonic use?
A♭ major pentatonic is written with 4 flats in the key signature.
What notes are in the major pentatonic scale?
The major pentatonic uses the first, second, third, fifth, and sixth degrees of the major scale. On C it is C D E G A. The fourth and seventh are removed, so the scale contains no semitones. Every interval between neighboring notes is a whole step or a minor third, which is why it sounds open over major chords.
Are the black keys a major pentatonic scale?
Yes. The five black keys form the major pentatonic scale on F♯, which is also called G♭ major pentatonic. Playing only black keys therefore gives a major pentatonic sound. The same shape on white keys, C D E G A, is the common version used by beginners.
How do you build a major pentatonic scale?
Take the major scale and remove the fourth and seventh degrees. On C major, removing F and B leaves C D E G A. The same five-note shape can be moved to any tonic, so learning it once as a pattern lets you play it in every key.