C Aeolian

What is C Aeolian?

C Aeolian is the seven notes C D Eb F G Ab Bb — the notes of Eb major started from its 6th degree, C. Same seven notes as the parent, but with C as home, so the intervals and the sound are different.

C Aeolian vs C natural minor

They are the same seven notes in the same order. “Aeolian” is the mode name for the natural minor scale — it says which chord you treat as home, not that any note changed.

Chords in C Aeolian

Stack the mode in thirds and each degree becomes a chord. The home chord is Cm; the rest are the chords of Eb major, since the notes are the same — what changes is which one the music rests on. Vamp between Cm and Ab and the mode is unmistakable.

All the chords in Eb major, with shapes and numerals →

C Aeolian on the guitar neck

Because C Aeolian is Eb major from its 6th note, its natural fingering is position 6 of the seven three-notes-per-string shapes of Eb major — the shape whose lowest note is C. Learn that shape with C as home — start and end on it, over a drone on C or the vamp above — and you have the mode under your fingers. Play the same shape with Eb as home and you hear Eb major instead. The other six positions are the fingerings for the other six modes of the same key.

• The seven positions of Eb major — the Aeolian shape is position 6 →
• See every C Aeolian note across the whole neck →

How to practice C Aeolian on guitar

1. Loop position 6 of Eb major at 60 BPM, starting and ending on C so your ear hears C as home rather than Eb.
2. Hold a Cm chord (or record one) and play the shape over it. Listen for the chord tones landing on the beat.
3. Hear it harmonized in 3rds on the Fretboard: press Play and every note sounds with its partner while the neck lights up.