Ab Chromatic scale
All twelve pitch classes of the octave in semitone order; tonal hierarchy comes only from context.
Octaves
Musical context
How the scale relates to the chord, mode, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- Ab Chromatic scale
- Family
- Symmetric scales
- Note count
- 12
- Step formula
- H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H
- Numeric formula
- 0-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1
Notes & degrees
1Abroot
b2Aminor 2nd
2Bbmajor 2nd
b3Cbminor 3rd
3Cmajor 3rd
4Dbperfect 4th
b5Ddim 5th
5Ebperfect 5th
b6Fbminor 6th
6Fmajor 6th
b7Gbminor 7th
7Gmajor 7th
Construction
- Overview
- All twelve pitch classes of the octave in semitone order; tonal hierarchy comes only from context.
- Application in music
- Has no key of its own. Used for chromatic passing and neighbor tones.
- Interval formula
- AbHAHBbHCbHCHDbHDHEbHFbHFHGbHG
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IAbnominal centretonic
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIICC
IVDbDb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IAbAb
IIBbBb
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This scale on guitar 🎸
See how Ab Chromatic scale looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.