A♭ Kumoi at a glance
Kumoi is a beloved Japanese pentatonic that anime, game and film composers reach for when they want a Japanese flavour without the obvious cliché of Hirajōshi. Sounds calm and slightly ambiguous. Built on the root A♭, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where A♭ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | A♭ B♭ C♭ E♭ F |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2M · 3m · 5P · 6M |
| Step pattern | W H 2W W W+H |
A♭ Kumoi on the piano
Improvisation drone · A♭
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano A♭ Kumoi uses three black keys (A♭, B♭ and E♭) and two white. C♭ is the white key you'd normally call B.
A♭ · B♭ · C♭ · E♭ · F
Try A♭ Kumoi on the virtual piano
Free, in your browser: play with the mouse, your computer keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard. No sign-up.
A♭ Kumoi on the guitar
A♭ Kumoi - fr 0–12
A♭ Kumoi on the staff
Notes of the A♭ Kumoi scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♭ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | B♭ | major 2nd2M | 2 | |
| 3 | C♭ | minor 3rd3m | 3 | |
| 4 | E♭ | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 5 | F | major 6th6M | 9 |
What makes A♭ Kumoi different
Kumoi (1, 2, ♭3, 5, 6) has a minor third but a major sixth, and no fourth or seventh. That pairing is the Dorian colour, and every note of Kumoi belongs to Dorian on the same root. Its only half step, between 2 and ♭3, sits low in the scale, and above it the scale moves in a major third, a whole step and a minor third. Hirajōshi has the same shape except for the sixth: ♭6 there, 6 here. On A♭, A♭ Kumoi is A♭ Dorian (A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G♭) without D♭ and G♭.
How to use the A♭ Kumoi scale
Because A♭ Kumoi has fewer or more than seven notes, it doesn't produce a standard set of seven diatonic triads. Instead, build chords by stacking thirds within the scale or use it as a melodic colour over chords drawn from a related diatonic key.
Kumoi is a beloved Japanese pentatonic that anime, game and film composers reach for when they want a Japanese flavour without the obvious cliché of Hirajōshi. Sounds calm and slightly ambiguous.
Practice tips
Practise Kumoi as four-note phrases that lean on the major sixth — it's the colour that distinguishes Kumoi from a plain minor pentatonic.
Formula & step pattern
The A♭ Kumoi scale follows Japanese pentatonic with intervals 1, 2, ♭3, 5, 6 — minor third softened by major second and major sixth. Step pattern: W - H - 2W - W - W+H. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2M · 3m · 5P · 6M. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear A♭ Kumoi
Start with the music described above: listen for A♭ Kumoi in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the A♭ Kumoi scale?
The A♭ Kumoi scale contains A♭, B♭, C♭, E♭ and F.
What is the formula for the A♭ Kumoi scale?
A♭ Kumoi follows Japanese pentatonic with intervals 1, 2, ♭3, 5, 6 — minor third softened by major second and major sixth.
Is A♭ Kumoi a major or minor scale?
A♭ Kumoi is a kumoi scale. Japanese pentatonic scale (1, 2, ♭3, 5, 6) — minor third with a major second and major sixth, drifting and meditative.
What chords belong to the A♭ Kumoi scale?
A♭ Kumoi doesn't produce a standard seven-chord diatonic set. Use chords from a related diatonic scale instead.
Which genres use A♭ Kumoi?
Kumoi is a beloved Japanese pentatonic that anime, game and film composers reach for when they want a Japanese flavour without the obvious cliché of Hirajōshi. Sounds calm and slightly ambiguous.
How do you play the A♭ Kumoi scale on the piano?
On the piano A♭ Kumoi uses three black keys (A♭, B♭ and E♭) and two white. C♭ is the white key you'd normally call B.
What is the difference between A♭ Kumoi and A♭ Dorian?
On A♭, A♭ Kumoi is A♭ Dorian (A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G♭) without D♭ and G♭.
How do I practise the A♭ Kumoi scale?
Practise Kumoi as four-note phrases that lean on the major sixth — it's the colour that distinguishes Kumoi from a plain minor pentatonic.