A♭ Major Pentatonic Scale (A♭ B♭ C E♭ F)
A♭ major pentatonic is gospel's favorite key moved to the fretboard. A♭ B♭ C E♭ F, every note fretted, no open strings to help, the low root at the fourth fret.
Fretboard diagram
Every A♭ major pentatonic note from the open strings to fret 22. At fret 12 the map starts over an octave up.
Notes in this scale
| Symbol | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| R | root | A♭ |
| 2 | major second | B♭ |
| 3 | major third | C |
| 5 | perfect fifth | E♭ |
| 6 | major sixth | F |
Where to land
A lead that never touches its root is an exercise. In the first twelve frets A♭ sits on the low E string at fret 4, the A string at fret 11, the D string at fret 6, the G string at fret 1, the B string at fret 9, and the high E string at fret 4. End phrases on one of them until it's automatic, then start aiming for whichever chord tone the band is sitting on instead.
Over an A♭ major chord, A♭, C, and E♭ are chord tones and land clean anywhere in the bar. The F sits close enough to the fifth to resolve down into it, which is the classic country move.
Keep exploring
Same root
Same notes
F minor pentatonic is these five notes with F as home. Same frets, different landing spots.
Chords it fits over
A♭, A♭maj7, and A♭7 when the song is country or major-key blues.
Nearby keys
A♭ major pentatonic FAQ
What notes are in the A♭ major pentatonic scale?
A♭ major pentatonic contains A♭, B♭, C, E♭, and F. That's the root, the major second, the major third, the perfect fifth, and the major sixth.
What fret does A♭ major pentatonic start on?
The lowest root is A♭ at fret 4 on the low E string, and most players anchor there. The scale itself covers the whole neck, and everything repeats twelve frets higher.
What is the difference between A♭ major and A♭ minor pentatonic?
A♭ major pentatonic is A♭ B♭ C E♭ F. A♭ minor pentatonic is G♯ B C♯ D♯ F♯. They share only the root and the fifth, and major-key country and minor-key blues split along exactly that line.