Explore scales · Bass
A♭ acoustic scale on bass guitar
A♭ acoustic contains A♭, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G♭. Box 1 places the root on string 4, fret 4 for a low-position shape.
How it is built
Formula 1, 2, 3, ♯4, 5, 6, ♭7
How do you play the A♭ acoustic scale on bass?
A♭ acoustic in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 10 notes across 4 strings, from F on the E string at fret 1 up to B♭ on the G string at fret 3. The root falls on the E string at fret 4 and the G string at fret 1.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 1, 2, 4 | F, G♭, A♭ |
| 3 (A) | 1, 3 | B♭, C |
| 2 (D) | 1, 3, 4 | E♭, F, G♭ |
| 1 (G) | 1, 3 | A♭, B♭ |
Box 2 · frets 4–7
A♭ acoustic in box 2 runs from fret 4 to fret 7, 8 notes across 4 strings, from A♭ on the E string at fret 4 up to D on the G string at fret 7. The root falls on the E string at fret 4 and the D string at fret 6.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 4, 6 | A♭, B♭ |
| 3 (A) | 5, 6 | D, E♭ |
| 2 (D) | 4, 6 | G♭, A♭ |
| 1 (G) | 5, 7 | C, D |
Box 3 · frets 6–9
A♭ acoustic in box 3 runs from fret 6 to fret 9, 9 notes across 4 strings, from B♭ on the E string at fret 6 up to E♭ on the G string at fret 8. The root falls on the D string at fret 6.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6, 8 | B♭, C |
| 3 (A) | 6, 8, 9 | E♭, F, G♭ |
| 2 (D) | 6, 8 | A♭, B♭ |
| 1 (G) | 7, 8 | D, E♭ |
Box 4 · frets 8–11
A♭ acoustic in box 4 runs from fret 8 to fret 11, 11 notes across 4 strings, from C on the E string at fret 8 up to G♭ on the G string at fret 11. The root falls on the A string at fret 11.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 8, 10, 11 | C, D, E♭ |
| 3 (A) | 8, 9, 11 | F, G♭, A♭ |
| 2 (D) | 8, 10 | B♭, C |
| 1 (G) | 8, 10, 11 | E♭, F, G♭ |
Box 5 · frets 10–13
A♭ acoustic in box 5 runs from fret 10 to fret 13, 11 notes across 4 strings, from D on the E string at fret 10 up to A♭ on the G string at fret 13. The root falls on the A string at fret 11 and the G string at fret 13.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 10, 11, 13 | D, E♭, F |
| 3 (A) | 11, 13 | A♭, B♭ |
| 2 (D) | 10, 12, 13 | C, D, E♭ |
| 1 (G) | 10, 11, 13 | F, G♭, A♭ |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ acoustic is the fourth mode of E♭ melodic minor, built 1, 2, 3, ♯4, 5, 6, ♭7. The ♯4 creates a tritone against the root, and the ♭7 removes the leading tone. Compare it to A♭ mixolydian, which lowers the ♯4 to a perfect 4th.
When to use it
A♭ acoustic fits A♭ major and A♭ 5th chords, and works over A♭7 in jazz-blues. The ♯4 adds a Lydian colour over dominant chords; resolve it to the 5th for a smooth line. Use it for fusion or modal rock in A♭.
Which position to practise
Learn Box 1 first: the root sits on string 4, fret 4, covering frets 1–4. It keeps the ♯4 reachable without shifting.
Common questions
What notes are in A♭ acoustic?
A♭ acoustic contains A♭, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G♭. The formula is 1, 2, 3, ♯4, 5, 6, ♭7. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Which chords does A♭ acoustic fit?
A♭ acoustic fits A♭ major and A♭ 5th chords. It also works over A♭7 in dominant contexts.
Is A♭ acoustic the same as A♭ mixolydian?
No. A♭ acoustic has a ♯4 (D), while A♭ mixolydian has a perfect 4th (D♭). The other six notes are identical.