A♭ Blues Scale (Ab, G#)
The Ab blues scale contains Ab – Cb – Db – D – Eb – Gb. It is Ab minor pentatonic plus one added note, the blue note D, between the 4th and 5th. It is written D, a raised 4th, because the flat 5th would be Ebb, a double flat. It is also called the minor blues scale. It uses the same piano keys as G# blues, spelled G# – B – C# – D – D# – F#.
Ab blues scale chart
Pentatonic and blues scales have no standard book fingering, so none is shown here. Pick fingers that keep your thumb off the black keys.
Ab blues vs Ab minor pentatonic
| Degree | 1 | b3 | 4 | #4 | 5 | b7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pentatonic | Ab | Cb | Db | – | Eb | Gb |
| Blues | Ab | Cb | Db | D | Eb | Gb |
The blue note is the only addition. It is a passing note, a half step from both Db and Eb: slide through it on the way between them rather than resting on it.
What Ab blues is used for
It is the sound of blues soloing, and of a lot of rock and jazz too. A 12-bar blues in Ab uses three dominant 7th chords, Ab7, Db7 and Eb7, and this one scale works over all of them. Its minor 3rd, Cb, clashes on purpose with the C in Ab7, and that rub is the blues sound.
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from Ab | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ab | 1 | root | 0 |
| Cb | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| Db | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| D | #4 | augmented 4th | 6 |
| Eb | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| Gb | b7 | minor 7th | 10 |
Step pattern
The blues scale is built from the pattern W+H – W – H – H – W+H – W (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = three semitones). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same scale in a different key.
Key signature and accidentals
Blues is normally written with accidentals over the key signature of the piece. Ab minor has 7 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb and Fb, and the blue note D falls outside it, so it always takes an accidental. See the key of Ab minor for the chords of the minor key.
Chords using only these notes
The dominant 7th chords of a blues are not in this list because they contain notes outside the scale. These can be played with Ab blues alone.
| Chord | Notes |
|---|---|
| Abm | Ab Cb Eb |
| Abm7 | Ab Cb Eb Gb |
| Absus4 | Ab Db Eb |
| Cb | Cb Eb Gb |
| Cbsus2 | Cb Db Gb |
| Cbmaj6 | Cb Eb Gb Ab |
| Dbsus2 | Db Eb Ab |
| Dbsus4 | Db Gb Ab |
| Gbsus2 | Gb Ab Db |
| Gbsus4 | Gb Cb Db |
More scales on Ab
Blues scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the Ab blues scale?
The Ab blues scale contains Ab, Cb, Db, D, Eb, Gb, then returns to Ab an octave higher.
What is the blue note in Ab blues?
D, between the 4th (Db) and the 5th (Eb). It is written D, a raised 4th, because the flat 5th would be Ebb, a double flat.
What chords does the Ab blues scale work over?
A 12-bar blues in Ab: Ab7, Db7, Eb7. It also fits Ab minor chords.
What is the step pattern of the blues scale?
It follows the pattern W+H – W – H – H – W+H – W, where W is a whole step (two semitones), H is a half step (one semitone) and W+H is three semitones.