A♭ Major Key Signature

A♭ major has 4 flats — B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭. Here's the signature on the staff, the full scale, its relative minor, and the trick to recognize it instantly.

key signature with 4 flats
Accidentals
4 flats — B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭
Major scale
A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G
Relative minor
F minor
Tonic
A♭

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Reading the A♭ Major signature

In any flat key the second-to-last flat names the key. A♭ major's flats are B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, so the second-to-last, A♭, is the tonic — A♭ major.

The A♭ Major scale

The A♭ major scale runs A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G. Every flattened note in the piece takes the key's accidentals automatically, which is exactly what the signature saves you from writing note by note.

A♭ Major and its relative minor

A♭ major shares its signature — 4 flats — with its relative minor, F minor, a minor third below the tonic. They use the same seven pitches; what tells them apart is which note the music settles on and treats as home.

Neighboring keys on the circle of fifths

A♭ Major — frequently asked

How many sharps or flats does A♭ major have?

A♭ major has 4 flats — B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭.

What is the relative minor of A♭ major?

The relative minor of A♭ major is F minor — it shares the identical key signature (4 flats).

What notes are in the A♭ major scale?

The A♭ major scale is A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G.

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