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
- C1tone
- D2semi
- E♭3tone
- F4tone
- G5semi
- A♭6tone
- B♭7tone
- C8
Every degree
| Degree | Note | Interval from the tonic | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Unison | 0 |
| 2 | D | Major second | 2 |
| 3 | E♭ | Minor third | 3 |
| 4 | F | Perfect fourth | 5 |
| 5 | G | Perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | A♭ | Minor sixth | 8 |
| 7 | B♭ | Minor seventh | 10 |
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.
| Tonic | Notes | Same notes as |
|---|---|---|
| C | C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ | E♭ major |
| D♭ | D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭ – A♭ – B𝄫 – C♭ | F♭ major |
| D | D – E – F – G – A – B♭ – C | F major |
| E♭ | E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭ | G♭ major |
| E | E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D | G major |
| F | F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ | A♭ major |
| F♯ | F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D – E | A major |
| G | G – A – B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F | B♭ major |
| A♭ | A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭ | C♭ major |
| A | A – B – C – D – E – F – G | C major |
| B♭ | B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ | D♭ major |
| B | B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G – A | D major |
Hearing it rather than spelling it
A mode is only a mode while the music keeps treating its tonic as home. Played over a E♭ bass, C Aeolian is just E♭ major. Played over a C drone, the alterations become unmistakable. That is why modal writing tends to stay on one chord for a long time.