B Aeolian

Melancholic, natural minor — built from D major

PARENT FAMILY · D MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (D major). B Aeolian is the VI mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	D Ionian	Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	E Dorian	Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	F♯ Phrygian	F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	G Lydian	Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	A Mixolydian	A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	B Aeolian	Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	C♯ Locrian	C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

B C♯ D E F♯ G A

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

The Aeolian scale on B contains the notes B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A. The pentatonic subset is B, D, E, F♯, A.

Characteristic note: the ♭6 (flat sixth) deepens its melancholic minor character.

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

Bm7

II

C♯m7♭5

III

Dmaj7

IV

Em7

V

F♯m7

VI

Gmaj7

VII

A7

▸ Play B Aeolian over Bm7 and A7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · MELANCHOLIC, NATURAL MINOR

MELANCHOLIC, NATURAL MINOR

B Aeolian is a minor mode with a melancholic, natural minor character. It is the VI mode of D major — it uses the same 7 notes as D Ionian but is rooted on B, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is Bm7.

Where to use B Aeolian

Rock, pop, classical, metal.

Famous examples

Stairway to Heaven
Hotel California
Sultans of Swing

What makes it distinctive: the ♭6 (flat sixth) deepens its melancholic minor character.

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