A♭ Phrygian Scale (Ab)
The Ab Phrygian scale contains Ab – Bbb – Cb – Db – Eb – Fb – Gb. It uses 8 flats: Bbb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb and Fb. It uses the same piano keys as G# Phrygian, spelled G# – A – B – C# – D# – E – F# (4 sharps).
Ab Phrygian scale chart
Sharps and flats
Ab Phrygian has 8 flats: Bbb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb and Fb. Its parent major scale is Fb major (the same keys as E major), which uses the same notes. See the chords in the key of E major.
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Semitones from Ab |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ab | 0 |
| b2 | Bbb | 1 |
| b3 | Cb | 3 |
| 4 | Db | 5 |
| 5 | Eb | 7 |
| b6 | Fb | 8 |
| b7 | Gb | 10 |
Step pattern
The Phrygian scale is built from the pattern H – W – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same mode in a different key.
Chords in Ab Phrygian
Building a triad on each degree of the scale gives you the chords that belong to it. These are the chords to reach for when writing in Ab Phrygian.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Abm | Ab Cb Eb |
| 2 | II | Bbb | Bbb Db Fb |
| 3 | III | Cb | Cb Eb Gb |
| 4 | iv | Dbm | Db Fb Ab |
| 5 | v° | Ebdim | Eb Gb Bbb |
| 6 | VI | Fb | Fb Ab Cb |
| 7 | vii | Gbm | Gb Bbb Db |
Other modes on Ab
More scales on Ab
Phrygian scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the Ab Phrygian scale?
The Ab Phrygian scale contains Ab, Bbb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, then returns to Ab an octave higher.
How many flats are in Ab Phrygian?
Ab Phrygian has 8 flats: Bbb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb and Fb.
What is the step pattern of the Phrygian scale?
The Phrygian scale follows the whole/half step pattern H – W – W – W – H – W – W, where W is a whole step (two semitones) and H is a half step (one semitone).
Which chords work with the Ab Phrygian scale?
The diatonic chords are Abm, Bbb, Cb, Dbm, Ebdim, Fb, Gbm. Each is built only from notes of the Ab Phrygian scale, so they all belong to the same tonality — though the diminished chord carries a tritone and normally wants to resolve.