Scale
A♭ Aeolian Scale
Interactive keyboard
Highlighted notes form this scale.
Notes
A♭ · B♭ · C♭ · D♭ · E♭ · F♭ · G♭
Root: A♭
Intervals
1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7
How it is built
This scale starts on A♭ and applies the intervals 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7. The result contains 7 distinct pitch classes per octave.
Explore related combinations
Guide and musical context
About A♭ Aeolian Scale
A♭ Aeolian Scale uses the notes A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭. Its character is minor, dark and diatonic.
Character and sound
Minor, dark and diatonic.
Musical context and history
Modern Aeolian has exactly the same formula as natural minor. The two names describe the same interval collection when they start on the same tonic.
How and where it is used
Use it for natural-minor tonality, melody, rock, pop, folk, metal and modal harmony.
In Theory view you can hear the pitch collection without depending on a specific fingering. Then switch to Piano, Guitar, Ukulele or Mandolin to see how the same notes are physically distributed on each instrument.
Harmonic and musical relationships
This scale can be understood as a mode of the B major scale: it contains the same notes, but A♭ acts as the tonal center. Changing the center changes how the same pitches are perceived.
The formula on this page is 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7 and, from A♭, produces the notes A♭ · B♭ · C♭ · D♭ · E♭ · F♭ · G♭.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A♭ Aeolian Scale?
The notes are A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭.
What is its interval formula?
The formula is 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7.
How does it sound and what is it used for?
Minor, dark and diatonic. Use it for natural-minor tonality, melody, rock, pop, folk, metal and modal harmony.
Can I view it on a specific instrument?
Yes. Use the selector near the top to switch between Piano, Guitar, Ukulele and Mandolin without changing the musical combination you are studying.