Aeolian Mode

The Aeolian Scale consists of the same notes as the Natural Minor Scale. Songs in the Aeolian Mode tend to have a sad feeling and the scale is quite common in modern blues and jazz compositions. See also Aeolian Dominant.

Nothing separates the Aeolian scales from the Minor scales, except if the Minor scales are not Natural (which is the most common of the minor scales), but Harmonic or Melodic.

The main role of the Aeolian Mode is as the sixth mode of the Major Scale. The A Aeolian include the same notes as the C Major, for example, only that it starts on the sixth degree (A, B, C, D, E, F, G instead of C, D, E, F, G, A, B).

C

C Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C

C# / Db

C# Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#

D

D Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D

D# /Eb

D# Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: D#, F, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#

E

E Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E

F

F Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F

F# / Gb

F# Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F#

G

G Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G

G# / Ab

G# Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#

A

A Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A

A# / Bb

A# Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb

B

B Aeolian scale diagram
Notes: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B

Aeolian Scales overview
C: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C
C#/Db: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C# / Db, Eb, Fb (E), Gb, Ab, A, B, Db
D: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D
D#/Eb: D#, E# (F), F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D# / Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb (B), Db, Eb
E: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E
F: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F
F#/Gb: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F# / Gb, Ab, Bbb (A), Cb (B), Db, Ebb (D), Fb (E), Gb
G: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G
G#/Ab: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G# / Ab, Bb, Cb (B), Db, Eb, Fb (E), Gb, Ab
A: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
A#/Bb: A#, B# (C), C#, D#, E# (F), F#, G#, A# / Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb
B: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B

Intervals: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7
Semi-notes: 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2
Formula: Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole

Aeolian scales with note letters (sheet music PDF)

The Aeolian scales in musical notes are available in the member area.
The scale in all keys (without note names) can be downloaded as a PDF-file.

Relative keys – Aeolian and Major

The same notes can be found in different Major and Aeolian scales:

If you already know the Major scales, you can play the relative Aeolian by walking three semi-steps down on the keyboard.

The ancient heritage

The Aeolian Scale emerged in the ancient Greece together with other scales such as Dorian and Ionian. The names were taken from regions or people – the Aeolians was one of the major tribes.

Aeolian b1

A relevant scale is the Aeolian b1 (flat one). It has the intervals 1, b3, 3, b5, b6, 6, 7 and the semi-notes can be written as 3 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 1. An example is C Aeolian b1: C, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C (which can be seen as C# Aeolian with C as the tonic).

See also Aeolian b5 Scale (Locrian #2 scale).