Guitar scale · augmented hexatonic
Ab Augmented Scale
Six-note symmetrical scale that alternates a minor 3rd and a half step: 1 ♯2 3 5 ♯5 7. It holds two augmented triads.
Tap any note to hear it.
Ab Augmented Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|-------------------------4-7-8-| B|---------------------5-8-------| G|---------------4-5-8-----------| D|-----------5-6-----------------| A|-------6-7---------------------| E|-4-7-8-------------------------|
e|---------------------------7-8-| B|-----------------------8-9-----| G|-------------------8-9---------| D|------------6-9-10-------------| A|-----6-7-10--------------------| E|-7-8---------------------------|
e|--------------------------------8-11-12-| B|---------------------------9-12---------| G|--------------------8-9-12--------------| D|---------------9-10---------------------| A|---------10-11--------------------------| E|-8-11-12--------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------11-12-15-| B|-------------------------------12-13----------| G|-------------------------12-13----------------| D|-------------------13-14----------------------| A|----------11-14-15----------------------------| E|-11-12-15-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------15-16-| B|-------------------------------16-17-------| G|----------------------13-16-17-------------| D|-------------13-14-17----------------------| A|-------14-15-------------------------------| E|-15-16-------------------------------------|
How to play Ab Augmented on guitar
Find the root first: Ab is at fret 4 on the low E string and fret 11 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every Ab on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (3, 5, 7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 4–8. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ab |
| ♯2 | B |
| 3 | C |
| 5 | Eb |
| ♯5 | E |
| 7 | G |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise Ab Augmented anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
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- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
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- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
One purchase
- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
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Questions
- What notes are in the Ab Augmented Scale?
- The Ab Augmented Scale has 6 notes: Ab, B, C, Eb, E, G.
- What is the formula of the augmented scale?
- 1 ♯2 3 5 ♯5 7, which is the step pattern W+H H W+H H W+H H (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play Ab Augmented on the guitar?
- The root Ab is at fret 4 on the low E string and fret 11 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 4–8, and four more positions connect it up the neck.