C Aeolian scale on cello
C Aeolian has 7 notes: C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭. Degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. Formula: W H W W H W W.
What notes are in the C Aeolian scale?
C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭ and B♭. It has 7 notes; its formula in whole and half steps is W H W W H W W.
What does C Aeolian sound like, and when do you use it?
Melancholic and epic: the "pure" minor, with no leading tone. Use it over m7 · the vi of a major key, i–♭VII–♭VI progressions.
To hear it: All Along the Watchtower — Bob Dylan / Jimi Hendrix.
Chords in C Aeolian
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | Cm7 |
| ii° | D° | Dm7♭5 |
| ♭III | E♭ | E♭maj7 |
| iv | Fm | Fm7 |
| v | Gm | Gm7 |
| ♭VI | A♭ | A♭maj7 |
| ♭VII | B♭ | B♭7 |
Chord progressions to improvise with C Aeolian
In Jam mode (the Jam button above) a band of grand piano, upright bass and drums (recorded instruments) plays these progressions as swing, bossa, groove or ballad, and the fingerboard lights up the notes of each chord as it plays. It's a backing track made for this scale in C:
- Epic (i7–♭VImaj7–♭VII7): Cm7 | A♭maj7 | B♭7 | Cm7. The ♭VI brings out the ♭6 (A♭): the note that separates Aeolian from Dorian.
- Minor rock (i–♭VII–♭VI): Cm | B♭ | A♭ | B♭. i–♭VII–♭VI–♭VII, like “All Along the Watchtower”. Short, rhythmic riffs.
- i–iv (i7–iv7): Cm7 | Cm7 | Fm7 | Fm7. Two minor chords, two bars each. Over the iv, the A♭ is the chord's 3rd.
C Aeolian on the cello: first position
No frets: string by string (C G D A), from the open string to the fourth finger:
- C string: C D E♭ F G
- G string: G A♭ B♭ C D
- D string: D E♭ F G A♭
- A string: B♭ C D E♭
Same notes as
E♭ major · C natural minor · E♭ Ionian · F Dorian · G Phrygian · A♭ Lydian · B♭ Mixolydian · D Locrian
Aeolian in other keys
On other instruments
C Aeolian on piano · C Aeolian on guitar · C Aeolian on bass · C Aeolian on ukulele · C Aeolian on mandolin · C Aeolian on banjo · C Aeolian on violin · C Aeolian on viola · C Aeolian on alto sax · C Aeolian on tenor sax · C Aeolian on trumpet · C Aeolian on flute · All scales