A♭ Aeolian at a glance
Aeolian is just natural minor under a different name. It dominates pop, rock and folk in minor keys. Reach for it any time you want a warm, melancholic mood. Built on the root A♭, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where A♭ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2M · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6m · 7m |
| Step pattern | W H W W H W W |
| Chords in the key | A♭mB♭°C♭D♭mE♭mF♭G♭ |
Chords in the A♭ Aeolian scale
These are the chords that naturally form on each degree of the scale. Click a chord to open its dedicated page.
A♭ Aeolian on the piano
Improvisation drone · A♭
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano A♭ Aeolian uses five black keys (A♭, B♭, D♭, E♭ and G♭) and two white. C♭ and F♭ are the white keys you'd normally call B and E.
A♭ · B♭ · C♭ · D♭ · E♭ · F♭ · G♭
Try A♭ Aeolian on the virtual piano
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A♭ Aeolian on the guitar
A♭ Aeolian - fr 0–12
A♭ Aeolian on the staff
Notes of the A♭ Aeolian scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♭ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | B♭ | major 2nd2M | 2 | |
| 3 | C♭ | minor 3rd3m | 3 | |
| 4 | D♭ | perfect 4th4P | 5 | |
| 5 | E♭ | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 6 | F♭ | minor 6th6m | 8 | |
| 7 | G♭ | minor 7th7m | 10 |
What makes A♭ Aeolian different
Aeolian is the modal name for natural minor: same notes, same intervals. It's the sixth mode of the major scale, so it shares its notes with the major scale a minor third above its root. Two notes place it among its neighbours: the minor sixth separates it from Dorian, and the major second separates it from Phrygian. Its i, iv and v chords are all minor, with major chords on ♭III, ♭VI and ♭VII, the set behind the ♭VI, ♭VII, i cadence of rock and film music. On A♭, A♭ Aeolian has F♭ where A♭ Dorian has F; every other note is shared with A♭ Dorian (A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G♭).
Modes from A♭ Aeolian
Each note of this scale produces a different mode with its own character.
How to use the A♭ Aeolian scale
The diatonic chords of A♭ Aeolian are: i = A♭m, ii° = B♭°, III = C♭, iv = D♭m, v = E♭m, VI = F♭, VII = G♭. These seven chords belong naturally to the key and are the safest harmonic vocabulary when writing songs in A♭ Aeolian. Each one in the chord table on this page opens its own diagram and progressions.
Aeolian is just natural minor under a different name. It dominates pop, rock and folk in minor keys. Reach for it any time you want a warm, melancholic mood.
Practice tips
Treat aeolian as natural minor for practice purposes. Compare it to its relative major to lock in the position relationships.
Formula & step pattern
The A♭ Aeolian scale follows the natural minor pattern (W-H-W-W-H-W-W), identical to the natural minor scale. Step pattern: W - H - W - W - H - W - W. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2M · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6m · 7m. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear A♭ Aeolian
Start with the music described above: listen for A♭ Aeolian in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the A♭ Aeolian scale?
The A♭ Aeolian scale contains A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭ and G♭.
What is the formula for the A♭ Aeolian scale?
A♭ Aeolian follows the natural minor pattern (W-H-W-W-H-W-W), identical to the natural minor scale.
Is A♭ Aeolian a major or minor scale?
A♭ Aeolian is a aeolian scale. Identical to natural minor - the classic minor mode of the Western system.
What chords belong to the A♭ Aeolian scale?
The diatonic chords of A♭ Aeolian are A♭m, B♭°, C♭, D♭m, E♭m, F♭, G♭.
Which genres use A♭ Aeolian?
Aeolian is just natural minor under a different name. It dominates pop, rock and folk in minor keys. Reach for it any time you want a warm, melancholic mood.
How do you play the A♭ Aeolian scale on the piano?
On the piano A♭ Aeolian uses five black keys (A♭, B♭, D♭, E♭ and G♭) and two white. C♭ and F♭ are the white keys you'd normally call B and E.
What is the difference between A♭ Aeolian and A♭ Dorian?
On A♭, A♭ Aeolian has F♭ where A♭ Dorian has F; every other note is shared with A♭ Dorian (A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G♭).
What is the relative key of A♭ Aeolian?
The relative key of A♭ Aeolian is C♭ Major. It uses the same notes (C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭) starting from C♭, so the two share a key signature.
How do I practise the A♭ Aeolian scale?
Treat aeolian as natural minor for practice purposes. Compare it to its relative major to lock in the position relationships.