B♯ 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 B♯, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where B♯ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | B♯ C𝄪 D♯ E♯ F𝄪 G♯ A♯ |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2M · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6m · 7m |
| Step pattern | W H W W H W W |
| Chords in the key | B♯mC𝄪°D♯E♯mF𝄪mG♯A♯ |
Chords in the B♯ Aeolian scale
These are the chords that naturally form on each degree of the scale. Click a chord to open its dedicated page.
B♯ Aeolian on the piano
Improvisation drone · B♯
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano B♯ Aeolian uses three black keys (D♯, G♯ and A♯) and four white. B♯, C𝄪, E♯ and F𝄪 are the white keys you'd normally call C, D, F and G.
B♯ · C𝄪 · D♯ · E♯ · F𝄪 · G♯ · A♯
Try B♯ Aeolian on the virtual piano
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B♯ Aeolian on the guitar
B♯ Aeolian - fr 0–12
B♯ Aeolian on the staff
Notes of the B♯ Aeolian scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B♯ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | C𝄪 | major 2nd2M | 2 | |
| 3 | D♯ | minor 3rd3m | 3 | |
| 4 | E♯ | perfect 4th4P | 5 | |
| 5 | F𝄪 | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 6 | G♯ | minor 6th6m | 8 | |
| 7 | A♯ | minor 7th7m | 10 |
What makes B♯ 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 B♯, B♯ Aeolian has G♯ where B♯ Dorian has G𝄪; every other note is shared with B♯ Dorian (B♯ C𝄪 D♯ E♯ F𝄪 G𝄪 A♯).
Modes from B♯ Aeolian
Each note of this scale produces a different mode with its own character.
How to use the B♯ Aeolian scale
The diatonic chords of B♯ Aeolian are: i = B♯m, ii° = C𝄪°, III = D♯, iv = E♯m, v = F𝄪m, VI = G♯, VII = A♯. These seven chords belong naturally to the key and are the safest harmonic vocabulary when writing songs in B♯ 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 B♯ 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 B♯ Aeolian
Start with the music described above: listen for B♯ 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 B♯ Aeolian scale?
The B♯ Aeolian scale contains B♯, C𝄪, D♯, E♯, F𝄪, G♯ and A♯.
What is the formula for the B♯ Aeolian scale?
B♯ Aeolian follows the natural minor pattern (W-H-W-W-H-W-W), identical to the natural minor scale.
Is B♯ Aeolian a major or minor scale?
B♯ Aeolian is a aeolian scale. Identical to natural minor - the classic minor mode of the Western system.
What chords belong to the B♯ Aeolian scale?
The diatonic chords of B♯ Aeolian are B♯m, C𝄪°, D♯, E♯m, F𝄪m, G♯, A♯.
Which genres use B♯ 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 B♯ Aeolian scale on the piano?
On the piano B♯ Aeolian uses three black keys (D♯, G♯ and A♯) and four white. B♯, C𝄪, E♯ and F𝄪 are the white keys you'd normally call C, D, F and G.
What is the difference between B♯ Aeolian and B♯ Dorian?
On B♯, B♯ Aeolian has G♯ where B♯ Dorian has G𝄪; every other note is shared with B♯ Dorian (B♯ C𝄪 D♯ E♯ F𝄪 G𝄪 A♯).
What is the relative key of B♯ Aeolian?
The relative key of B♯ Aeolian is D♯ Major. It uses the same notes (D♯ E♯ F𝄪 G♯ A♯ B♯ C𝄪) starting from D♯, so the two share a key signature.
How do I practise the B♯ Aeolian scale?
Treat aeolian as natural minor for practice purposes. Compare it to its relative major to lock in the position relationships.