G♯ / A♭

G♯ / A♭ is pitch class 8 — eight semitones above C. G♯ is G raised; A♭ is A lowered. Equal temperament makes them one pitch class; notation chooses the spelling.

Chromatically it sits between G and A. It is past the perfect fifth from C and not yet the major sixth — a raised fifth or a lowered sixth depending on the written key.

In major-triad grammar this class is the root of A♭ major (A♭–C–E♭), the major third of E major (E–G♯–B), and the perfect fifth of C♯ major (C♯–F–G♯). Alone it stays a pitch class. Schubart-style text is vessel-only for a full major triad.

Also known as G sharp · G♯ · A flat · A♭ · Ab · G#