SCALE · ON BASSOON
A♭ Major
The bright, stable home of common-practice tonality. Whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half pattern across seven letters.
Tempo120 bpm
Audio source: tonejs-instruments by Nick Brosowsky (MIT)
Related scalesDiatonic chord harmonisation Same scale, other instruments Same scale, other tonics Modes built on this tonic Compare with Theory reference
RelativeF Natural MinorSame seven notes, tonic on the 6th degree — your access to the related minor key.ParallelA♭ Natural MinorSame tonic, the parallel minor — the deepest mode flip in tonal music.Up a fifthE♭ MajorOne sharp brighter on the circle of fifths.Up a fourthD♭ MajorOne flat darker on the circle of fifths.One note differentA♭ LydianRaise the 4th — the bright, floating Lydian colour.One note differentA♭ MixolydianLower the 7th — folk, blues-rock, Celtic vocabulary.SubsetA♭ Pentatonic MajorFive notes from the same scale — the bedrock pentatonic.ExoticA♭ Harmonic MajorBorrow the ♭6 from minor — operatic edge, IV / iv6 colour.
Questions
What notes are in the A♭ Major scale?
The A♭ Major scale uses the notes A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G (one octave; the pattern repeats at higher registers).
What chords work over A♭ Major?
The diatonic chords of A♭ major: A♭ major, ii minor, iii minor, IV major, V major (or V7), vi minor, vii°. Strong cadences use IV→V→I.
How do I finger A♭ Major on Bassoon?
On double reeds, scales train reed control + register changes + the half-hole / full-hole register transition. Slow practice exposes pitch instability the player can correct with embouchure.
When would I use the Major scale?
The bright, stable home of common-practice tonality. Whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half pattern across seven letters.