Ab Major Scale

Play A flat-B flat-C-D flat-E flat-F-G-A flat. The half-step pairs are C-D flat and G-A flat. The other steps are whole steps. A flat is the black key between G and A; D flat is between C and D.

Compare E flat major: E flat-F-G-A flat-B flat-C-D. A flat major uses the same six other pitch names but lowers D to D flat. That one-note change is easier to remember than treating the four flats as an unrelated list.

A flat major has B flat, E flat, A flat and D flat in standard flat order. These affect every occurrence of those letter names unless a local accidental changes a note. The order printed on the staff differs from the order in which a scale beginning on A flat meets them.

Take alternate scale notes. A flat-C-E flat is A flat major; D flat-F-A flat is D flat major; E flat-G-B flat is E flat major. The whole set is A flat, B flat minor, Cm, D flat, E flat, Fm and G diminished.

Try A flat-D flat-E flat-A flat. In the E-flat chord, G can rise a half step to A flat at the return. That note movement explains part of the sense of arrival. Diatonic Chords shows how the same chord pattern works in every major key.

F natural minor has F-G-A flat-B flat-C-D flat-E flat. It uses the same four flats. End a phrase on F over F-A flat-C and it points toward F; end it on A flat over A flat-C-E flat and it points toward A flat. The notes available are the same, while the musical center changes.

Play A flat-B flat-C-D flat, pause, then E flat-F-G-A flat. Each piece ends on a half step. Once both are easy, join them and finish on the upper A flat.