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Tomus

Mode reference

Aeolian mode

The natural minor scale under its modal name · C Aeolian = C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭

Aeolian is the sixth mode of the major scale, which means C Aeolian uses the notes of E♭ major but treats C as home. It is the natural minor scale under its modal name.

The natural minor scale under its modal name.

C Aeolian

  1. C1
    tone
  2. D2
    semi
  3. E♭3
    tone
  4. F4
    tone
  5. G5
    semi
  6. A♭6
    tone
  7. B♭7
    tone
  8. C8
C Aeolian, with the step between each pair of degrees. T is a tone, S a semitone.
CDE♭FGA♭B♭C
C Aeolian ascending, with each accidental written on its note.
CDEFGABCE♭A♭B♭
C Aeolian on the keyboard, from C up to C. The tonic is the darker key.

Every degree

DegreeNoteInterval from the tonicSemitones
1CUnison0
2DMajor second2
3E♭Minor third3
4FPerfect fourth5
5GPerfect fifth7
6A♭Minor sixth8
7B♭Minor seventh10

Hear what makes it Aeolian

Aeolian is the reference the other minor-sounding modes are measured against. Play it, then switch mode to hear each one move a note away from it.

Aeolian on every root

Each row is the same step pattern started somewhere new. The last column is the major scale that contains the same notes — useful when you want to find the mode by thinking in a key you already know.

TonicNotesSame notes as
CC – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭E♭ major
D♭D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭ – A♭ – B𝄫 – C♭F♭ major
DD – E – F – G – A – B♭ – CF major
E♭E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭G♭ major
EE – F♯ – G – A – B – C – DG major
FF – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭A♭ major
F♯F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D – EA major
GG – A – B♭ – C – D – E♭ – FB♭ major
A♭A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭C♭ major
AA – B – C – D – E – F – GC major
B♭B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭D♭ major
BB – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G – AD major

Hearing it rather than spelling it

A mode is only a mode while the music keeps treating its tonic as home. C Aeolian is C natural minor itself, so it has no alteration to listen for — it is the scale the other minor modes are heard against.

Keep going

Nearby modes

All seven modes

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