C Aeolian scale: notes, chords and guitar positions

Scale

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bpm

DroneE2

Drums

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Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

C Aeolian (Minor)

♭6 (plus ♭3 and ♭7): the natural minor sound. Sad, serious: standard rock and pop minor.

Where you hear it: i – ♭VI – ♭VII; the relative minor of a major key.

Key signature 3♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭)as E♭ major / C minor

Step pattern W – H – W – W – H – W – W

Relative major: E♭ major (this mode starts on its 6th degree)
Compared with C major: ♭3 E → E♭, ♭6 A → A♭, ♭7 B → B♭

Hover to compare

C Aeolian on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

in the minor pentatonic: playedother notes of Aeolian: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as C Aeolian

E♭ Ionian (Major)1st degree F Dorian2nd degree G Phrygian3rd degree A♭ Lydian4th degree B♭ Mixolydian5th degree C Aeolian (Minor)6th degree D Locrian7th degree

Every chord in C Aeolian

Cm71/16
easyfret 3· shell
Dm7♭51/12
easyfret 5· shell
E♭maj71/19
easyfret 11· shell
Fm71/18
easyfret 1· shell
Gm71/13
easyfret 3· shell
A♭maj71/20
easyfret 4· shell
B♭71/19
easyfret 3· shell

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in C Aeolian

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

i – ♭VI – ♭VII
The natural-minor anthem. The roots rise from ♭VI to ♭VII and then fall back to i.
i – ♭VII – ♭VI
The same two chords the other way round: a stepwise slide down from i, through ♭VII to ♭VI. Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower” is built on it.
i – ♭VI – ♭III – ♭VII
A four-chord minor loop made of the tonic and the scale’s three major chords.
i – iv – ♭VII – ♭III
The roots rise by a fourth three times in a row (the circle of fifths running backwards), then fall a third back to i.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From Cm you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of C Aeolian.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i Cm7

Notes: C E♭ G B♭

fret 8 · 1/10

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ii° Dm7♭5

Notes: D F A♭ C

fret 5 · 1/9

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♭III E♭maj7

Notes: E♭ G B♭ D

fret 11 · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iv Fm7

Notes: F A♭ C E♭

fret 1 · 1/10

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v Gm7

Notes: G B♭ D F

fret 3 · 1/10

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♭VI A♭maj7

Notes: A♭ C E♭ G

fret 4 · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VII B♭7

Notes: B♭ D F A♭

fret 1 · 1/11

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scale

Labels

Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

Bass

Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

C Aeolian (Minor)

♭6 (plus ♭3 and ♭7): the natural minor sound. Sad, serious: standard rock and pop minor.

Where you hear it: i – ♭VI – ♭VII; the relative minor of a major key.

Key signature 3♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭)as E♭ major / C minor

Step pattern W – H – W – W – H – W – W

Relative major: E♭ major (this mode starts on its 6th degree)
Compared with C major: ♭3 E → E♭, ♭6 A → A♭, ♭7 B → B♭

Hover to compare

C Aeolian on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as C Aeolian

E♭ Ionian (Major)1st degree F Dorian2nd degree G Phrygian3rd degree A♭ Lydian4th degree B♭ Mixolydian5th degree C Aeolian (Minor)6th degree D Locrian7th degree

Every chord in C Aeolian

Cm71/16
easyfret 3· shell
Dm7♭51/12
easyfret 5· shell
E♭maj71/19
easyfret 11· shell
Fm71/18
easyfret 1· shell
Gm71/13
easyfret 3· shell
A♭maj71/20
easyfret 4· shell
B♭71/19
easyfret 3· shell

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in C Aeolian

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

i – ♭VI – ♭VII
The natural-minor anthem. The roots rise from ♭VI to ♭VII and then fall back to i.
i – ♭VII – ♭VI
The same two chords the other way round: a stepwise slide down from i, through ♭VII to ♭VI. Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower” is built on it.
i – ♭VI – ♭III – ♭VII
A four-chord minor loop made of the tonic and the scale’s three major chords.
i – iv – ♭VII – ♭III
The roots rise by a fourth three times in a row (the circle of fifths running backwards), then fall a third back to i.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From Cm you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of C Aeolian.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i Cm7

Notes: C E♭ G B♭

fret 8 · 1/10

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

ii° Dm7♭5

Notes: D F A♭ C

fret 5 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭III E♭maj7

Notes: E♭ G B♭ D

fret 11 · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iv Fm7

Notes: F A♭ C E♭

fret 1 · 1/10

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

v Gm7

Notes: G B♭ D F

fret 3 · 1/10

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VI A♭maj7

Notes: A♭ C E♭ G

fret 4 · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VII B♭7

Notes: B♭ D F A♭

fret 1 · 1/11

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scales and modes

Colour key

C Aeolian (Minor)

C Aeolian on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as C Aeolian

Every chord in C Aeolian

Iconic progressions in C Aeolian

i – ♭VI – ♭VII

i – ♭VII – ♭VI

i – ♭VI – ♭III – ♭VII

i – iv – ♭VII – ♭III

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

C Aeolian (Minor)

C Aeolian on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as C Aeolian

Every chord in C Aeolian

Iconic progressions in C Aeolian

i – ♭VI – ♭VII

i – ♭VII – ♭VI

i – ♭VI – ♭III – ♭VII

i – iv – ♭VII – ♭III

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

C Aeolian (Minor)

C Aeolian on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as C Aeolian

Every chord in C Aeolian

Iconic progressions in C Aeolian

i – ♭VI – ♭VII

i – ♭VII – ♭VI

i – ♭VI – ♭III – ♭VII

i – iv – ♭VII – ♭III

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

C Aeolian (Minor)

C Aeolian on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as C Aeolian

Every chord in C Aeolian

Iconic progressions in C Aeolian

i – ♭VI – ♭VII

i – ♭VII – ♭VI

i – ♭VI – ♭III – ♭VII

i – iv – ♭VII – ♭III

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

C Aeolian on the guitar

Colour key

C Aeolian on the guitar