Aeolian Mode: Interactive Piano & Guitar Reference with Chords

🎨 A visual piano and guitar reference to the Aeolian mode, which is the same as the natural minor scale. The Aeolian mode is the 6th mode of the major scale. The Aeolian mode is created from the major scale by flattening the 3rd, 6th and 7th scale degrees.

The reason why we have a mode like Aeolian that is the same as the natural minor scale, and hence two ways to name the same thing, is because modes came before scales. Scales were therefore derived from the modes.

This reference includes the notes and chords on the piano keyboard for each key of the Aeolian mode.

Aeolian mode formula:
1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

Aeolian Mode: Reference Table

First, a reference table for the Aeolian mode for all the keys. The keys are in order of 5ths, as with the circle of fifths. This illustrates the close relationship between keys that are a 5th distance apart.

i	ii°	III	iv	v	VI	VII	i
A	B	C	D	E	F	G	A
E	F♯	G	A	B	C	D	E
B	C♯	D	E	F♯	G	A	B
F♯	G♯	A	B	C♯	D	E	F♯
C♯	D♯	E	F♯	G♯	A	B	C♯
G♯	A♯	B	C♯	D♯	E	F♯	G♯
D♯	E♯	F♯	G♯	A♯	B	C♯	D♯
B♭	C	D♭	E♭	F	G♭	A♭	B♭
F	G	A♭	B♭	C	D♭	E♭	F
C	D	E♭	F	G	A♭	B♭	C
G	A	B♭	C	D	E♭	F	G
D	E	F	G	A	B♭	C	D

Aeolian Mode on Guitar

Here you can visualize the different keys of the Aeolian mode on the guitar fretboard. You can highlight the notes in each of the aeolian scales using the CAGED or the Three Notes Per String (TNPS) systems.

Select a Key:

Scale:

Tuning:

show:

highlight:

box:

Aeolian Mode on Piano

And now for each of the keys of the Aeolian mode on the piano keyboard:

C Aeolian

notes: C D E_♭ F G A_♭ B_♭

relative key: E♭ major

C
D
E_♭
F
G
A_♭
B_♭
C

chords in the key of C aeolian

→ full C natural minor scale reference

C♯ Aeolian

notes: C^♯ D^♯ E F^♯ G^♯ A B

relative key: E major

C^♯
D^♯
E
F^♯
G^♯
A
B
C^♯

chords in the key of C^♯ aeolian

→ full C^♯ natural minor scale reference

D Aeolian

notes: D E F G A B_♭ C

relative key: F major

D
E
F
G
A
B_♭
C
D

chords in the key of D aeolian

→ full D natural minor scale reference

D♯ Aeolian

notes: D^♯ E^♯ F^♯ G^♯ A^♯ B C^♯

relative key: F♯ major

D^♯
E^♯
F^♯
G^♯
A^♯
B
C^♯
D^♯

chords in the key of D^♯ aeolian

→ full D^♯ natural minor scale reference

E Aeolian

notes: E F^♯ G A B C D

relative key: G major

E
F^♯
G
A
B
C
D
E

chords in the key of E aeolian

→ full E natural minor scale reference

F Aeolian

notes: F G A_♭ B_♭ C D_♭ E_♭

relative key: A♭ major

F
G
A_♭
B_♭
C
D_♭
E_♭
F

chords in the key of F aeolian

→ full F natural minor scale reference

F♯ Aeolian

notes: F^♯ G^♯ A B C^♯ D E

relative key: A major

F^♯
G^♯
A
B
C^♯
D
E
F^♯

chords in the key of F^♯ aeolian

→ full F^♯ natural minor scale reference

G Aeolian

notes: G A B_♭ C D E_♭ F

relative key: B♭ major

G
A
B_♭
C
D
E_♭
F
G

chords in the key of G aeolian

→ full G natural minor scale reference

G♯ Aeolian

notes: G^♯ A^♯ B C^♯ D^♯ E F^♯

relative key: B major

G^♯
A^♯
B
C^♯
D^♯
E
F^♯
G^♯

chords in the key of G^♯ aeolian

→ full G^♯ natural minor scale reference

A Aeolian

notes: A B C D E F G

relative major: C major

chords in the key of A aeolian

→ full A natural minor scale reference

B♭ Aeolian

notes: B_♭ C D_♭ E_♭ F G_♭ A_♭

relative key: D♭ major

B_♭
C
D_♭
E_♭
F
G_♭
A_♭
B_♭

chords in the key of B_♭ aeolian

→ full B_♭ natural minor scale reference

B Aeolian

notes: B C^♯ D E F^♯ G A

relative key: D major

B
C^♯
D
E
F^♯
G
A
B

chords in the key of B aeolian

→ full B natural minor scale reference

Piano Samples

The piano samples used for this Aeolian mode reference are from “Salamander Grand Piano V3” by Alexander Holm, licensed under CC BY 3.0.

C C^♯ D D^♯ E F F^♯ G G^♯ A B_♭ B