Guitar scale
Ab Major (Ionian) Guitar Scale
Ab Major (Ionian) is a seven-note scale built from Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, and G. It is the 1st relative mode of Ab major. It is also commonly called Ab Ionian. Use it to study the scale's notes, interval formula, and guitar fretboard positions.
- Notes
- AbBbCDbEbFG
- Formula
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Semitones
- 0 2 4 5 7 9 11
- Parent scale
- Ab major
- Also called
- Ab Ionian
How to read this scale
The notes are shown as pitch classes first. Square markers represent Ab root notes in the fretboard view, while circular markers represent the other notes in the scale.
Use the interactive fretboard to locate the Ab root notes and connect the remaining major (ionian) tones across standard tuning.
This same note pattern is also commonly called Ab Ionian.
Fretboard diagram
Open this scale in the fretboard tool
Start with Ab Major (Ionian) loaded, then adjust tuning, labels, colors, fret count, and orientation.
Open in interactive fretboardCommon chords and contexts
- Use Ab major over Ab major, Abmaj7, and straightforward major-key progressions.
- It is also the parent scale for the seven major-scale modes that share the same notes.