E Aeolian

What is E Aeolian?

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

E Aeolian vs E 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 E Aeolian

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

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

E Aeolian on the guitar neck

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

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

How to practice E Aeolian on guitar

1. Loop position 6 of G major at 60 BPM, starting and ending on E so your ear hears E as home rather than G.
2. Hold a Em 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.