Learn the A♭ natural minor scale — notes, intervals, chords, modes, and more.
The A♭ natural minor scale contains the following notes:
A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭The scale degrees of the A♭ natural minor scale are:
1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7| Scale Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | A♭ |
| 2 | B♭ |
| ♭3 | C♭ |
| 4 | D♭ |
| 5 | E♭ |
| ♭6 | F♭ |
| ♭7 | G♭ |
The A♭ natural minor scale uses the interval pattern W, H, W, W, H, W, W
| From | To | Step |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | B♭ | W |
| B♭ | C♭ | H |
| C♭ | D♭ | W |
| D♭ | E♭ | W |
| E♭ | F♭ | H |
| F♭ | G♭ | W |
| G♭ | A♭ | W |
| Scale Degree | Note | Interval from A♭ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♭ | Perfect Unison |
| 2 | B♭ | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | C♭ | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | D♭ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | E♭ | Perfect 5th |
| ♭6 | F♭ | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | G♭ | Minor 7th |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | A♭m | A♭, C♭, E♭ |
| ii° | B♭dim | B♭, D♭, F♭ |
| III | C♭ | C♭, E♭, G♭ |
| iv | D♭m | D♭, F♭, A♭ |
| v | E♭m | E♭, G♭, B♭ |
| VI | F♭ | F♭, A♭, C♭ |
| VII | G♭ | G♭, B♭, D♭ |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i7 | A♭m7 | A♭, C♭, E♭, G♭ |
| iiø7 | B♭m7♭5 | B♭, D♭, F♭, A♭ |
| IIImaj7 | C♭maj7 | C♭, E♭, G♭, B♭ |
| iv7 | D♭m7 | D♭, F♭, A♭, C♭ |
| v7 | E♭m7 | E♭, G♭, B♭, D♭ |
| VImaj7 | F♭maj7 | F♭, A♭, C♭, E♭ |
| VII7 | G♭7 | G♭, B♭, D♭, F♭ |
The modes of A♭ natural minor use the same notes but start on different scale degrees.
| Mode | Starting note | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C♭ Ionian | C♭ | C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭ |
| D♭ Dorian | D♭ | D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭ |
| E♭ Phrygian | E♭ | E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭ |
| F♭ Lydian | F♭ | F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭ |
| G♭ Mixolydian | G♭ | G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭ |
| A♭ Aeolian | A♭ | A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭ |
| B♭ Locrian | B♭ | B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭ |
The relative major is C♭ major. C♭ major uses the exact same 7 notes as A♭ natural minor — natural minor is simply the 6th mode (Aeolian) of the major scale.
A♭ natural minor has a minor 3rd (C♭), minor 6th (F♭), and minor 7th (G♭), while A♭ major has a major 3rd (C), major 6th (F), and major 7th (G). These three flattened degrees give natural minor its darker, more melancholic character.
The only difference is the 6th degree. A♭ natural minor has a minor 6th (F♭), while A♭ Dorian has a major 6th. That raised 6th makes Dorian sound slightly brighter and more versatile, while natural minor has a deeper, more traditional minor quality.