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Aeolian scale
How to play the aeolian scale
Aeolian is the major scale started on its 6th note. Play every white key from A up to the next A and you have A aeolian.
To play it from any other note, keep the formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. Compared with the major scale, each ♭ is one key lower and each ♯ one key higher.
Practice it slowly with each hand, then hold the bottom note in the left hand while the right hand plays the scale: that drone is the quickest way to hear the character of a mode.
Aeolian scale in all 12 keys
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| C aeolian | C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C |
| D♭ aeolian | D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B𝄫 C♭ D♭ |
| D aeolian | D E F G A B♭ C D |
| E♭ aeolian | E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ |
| E aeolian | E F♯ G A B C D E |
| F aeolian | F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F |
| F♯ aeolian | F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D E F♯ |
| G aeolian | G A B♭ C D E♭ F G |
| A♭ aeolian | A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ |
| A aeolian | A B C D E F G A |
| B♭ aeolian | B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ |
| B aeolian | B C♯ D E F♯ G A B |