Dictionary: Ab Blues Scale

When you add a diminished 5th note to the A-flat minor pentatonic scale (the D note, in this case), you now have the A-flat blues scale.  Try it over A-flat.  Any A-flat.  You may like the results.

Dictionary: Ab Minor Pentatonic Scale

The A-flat minor pentatonic scale is convenient to use for improvising solos and composing melodies over an A-flat minor chord progression, especially if you are unsure whether to use the Aeolian, Dorian, or Phrygian mode at any given moment.

The A-flat minor pentatonic scale sounds especially bluesy over an A-flat major chord progression.  If you want an even bluesier scale, stay tuned ...

Dictionary: Abm Chord

If you're looking for a simpler A-flat minor guitar chord, check out the G#m chord from August 2007.  Here is a non-standard, non-A?-C?-E? spelling of the Abm chord, which might work in the context of certain scales:

Dictionary: G#m Chord

If you're looking for a simpler G-sharp minor guitar chord, check out his entry from almost exactly seven years ago.

Dictionary: G# Minor Scale

This scale is the relative minor of B major.  In the table below, you'll enter G# harmonic minor territory with the chords to the right:

G#m	B	A#dim	Baug
C#m	E	Em	C#dim
D#m	F#	D#	Fxdim

Four #Chords in E-flat Minor / E-flat Harmonic Minor #Scale for #Guitar (Next Week's #Facebook #Preview!)

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Four E-flat #Scales / Three #Chords + One Scale for the #Keyboard

Four #Chords in G-Sharp / Four Chords in G-Flat for Guitar

Four G-Sharp #Scales / Four #Chords for #Keyboard

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Ab Mixolydian Mode (Jam Session 109l with Guitar, Bass, and Drums)

For the most part, Jam Session 109l relies on the Ab Mixolydian mode and the Ab blues scale.

The guitar is tuned (low to high): Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb, so finger positions are relative to A. In other words, on an Eb-tuned guitar, Ab Mixolydian will be played like A Mixolydian.

The bass, in standard E A D G tuning, plays holds down the rhythm with various grooves, while the guitar makes some noise.

     Ab

G  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A  |-6-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
E  |----------4----------|--------------------|---------------------|

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G#m Chord (Jam Session 109k with Guitar, Bass, and Drums)

Chords for Jam Session 109k:  G#m B F# C#

The guitar is tuned a half-step down (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) in the recording, so the open A minor chord would work on an Eb-tuned guitar for this jam session:

On an Eb-tuned guitar, the open chords Am C G D would work.

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Ab Blues Scale (Jam Session 109i with Guitar, Bass, and Drums)

Chords for Jam Session 109i:  Ab x 4; Db x 2; Ab x 2; Eb; Db; Ab; Ab-Db7-D7-E7 turnaround = 12-bar blues

The guitar is tuned a half-step down (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) in the recording, so the guitarist treated the jam session like the blues in A:

     Ab5   Ab6             Ab5   Ab6            Ab5   Ab6

eb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Bb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Gb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Db |-2-2-2-4-2-2-2-4-----|--------------------|---------------------|
Ab |-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----|--------------------|---------------------|
Eb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

     Ab5   Ab6             Db5   Db6            Db5   Db6  

eb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Bb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Gb |---------------------|-2-2-2-4-2-2-2-4----|---------------------|
Db |---------------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|---------------------|
Ab |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Eb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

     Ab5   Ab6             Ab5   Ab6            Eb5   Eb6

eb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Bb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Gb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Db |-2-2-2-4-2-2-2-4-----|--------------------|---------------------|
Ab |-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----|--------------------|-2-2-2-4-2-2-2-4-----|
Eb |---------------------|--------------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----|

     Db5   Db6             Ab5   Ab6            Ab5   Db7   D7   Eb7

eb |---------------------|--------------------|-------2-----3----4--|
Bb |---------------------|--------------------|-------1-----2----3--|
Gb |---------------------|--------------------|-2-----2-----3----4--|
Db |---------------------|--------------------|-2-------------------|
Ab |---------------------|--------------------|-0-------------------|
Eb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

The bass is tuned in standard tuning (E A D G), so the bass player treated the jam (fingering-wise) like it was in Ab - which it was.

Be sure to play with that swing feel!

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Podcast subscribers: If these jam session notes look jumbled, please visit http://www.chorddujour.com - Thanks!

Ab Chord (Jam Session 109h with Guitar, Bass, and Drums)

Chords for Jam Session 109h:  Ab Eb Db

The guitar is tuned (low to high): Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb, so playing an open A chord

would be playing an open Ab chord.

     Ab5 Ab6 Ab7 Ab6       Eb5 Eb6 Eb7 Eb6     (Db5 Db6 Db7 Db6 x2)

eb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Bb |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
Gb |---------------------|--------------------|-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-----|
Db |-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2-----|--------------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----|
Ab |-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----|-2-2-4-2-5-2-4-2----|---------------------|
Eb |---------------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|---------------------|

The bass was recorded in standard tuning (low to high): E A D G

     Ab5 Ab6 Ab7 Ab6       Eb5 Eb6 Eb7 Eb6     (Db5 Db6 Db7 Db6 x2)

G  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A  |---------------------|-6------------------|-4-------------------|
E  |-4-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

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Podcast subscribers: If these jam session notes look jumbled, please visit http://www.chorddujour.com - Thanks!

Variation in G# Minor

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

This is slightly different than yesterday's riffing pattern, with some embellishments. The previous days' ambiguously power chord progression is now an obviously minor one in A-flat (Ab) or G-sharp (G#). You'll need to use your pinky to stretch to the 7th fret on the Low E string for this progression:

    G#m
e|--------4-----------------|--------4-----------------|
B|--------4-----------------|--------4-----------------|
G|--------4-----------------|--------4-----------------|
D|--------6-----------------|--------6-----------------|
A|--------6-----------6-----|--------6-----------6--6--|
E|--4--4--4-----7--4--4-----|--4--4--4-----7--4--4--4--|

    C#sus2                     D#sus2
e|--------4-----------4-----|--------6-----------6--6--|
B|--------4-----------4-----|--------6-----------6--6--|
G|--------6-----------6-----|--------8-----------8--8--|
D|--------6-----------6-----|--------8-----------8--8--|
A|--4--4--4-----4--4--4-----|--6--6--6-----6--6--6--6--|
E|--------------------------|--------------------------|

Lesson #55: Power Chords in G# Minor (Guitar, Beginner, Intermediate)

In G# minor: G#5, A#5, B5, C#5, D#5, E5, F#5 - relative minor of B major
In Ab minor: Ab5, Bb5, Cb5, Db5, Eb5, Fb5, Gb5 - relative minor of Cb major

Lesson #53: Seven Chords in G# Minor (Guitar, Beginner, Intermediate)

Yes, these chords are like the lesson in B, but we're starting with G#m, as it is the relative minor of B major.

Now, the D# minor chord (D# F# A#) is in line with the G# natural minor scale: G# A# B C# D# E F# G#, but the D# major (D# F## A#) chord is in line with the G# harmonic minor scale: G# A# B C# D# E F## G#. Since we're using "dirty dozen" notation, the D#m and D# chords are depicted below as the enharmonic Ebm and Eb.

Lesson #51: G# Minor and the Capo / Barre (Guitar, Beginner)

You probably already know how to play this voicing for the G-sharp minor chord:

It is basically using your index finger as a barre across the 4th fret, and essentially the same as using a capo at the 4th fret and playing the basic Em chord:


Try either placing a capo on or using your index finger to barre the 11th fret and play the Am chord:


If you capo or barre at the 6th fret and play the Dm chord, you're actually playing the G#m chord:

G# Blues Horizontal (Guitar, Intermediate)

Scale: G# blues

Notes: G# B C# D D# F#

Hollow Circles: G# notes

Orange Circles: G# minor pentatonic, diagonal pattern

Gray Circles: G# minor pentatonic

Blue Circles (Blue Note): D notes

Example Chord Progression for Rhythm Guitar: G#5 C#5 D#5

G# Blues Diagonal (Guitar, Beginner)

Scale: G# blues

Notes: G# B C# D D# F#

Hollow Circles: G# notes

Orange Circles: G# minor pentatonic

Blue Circles (Blue Note): D notes

Example Chord Progression for Rhythm Guitar: G#5 B5 C#5