D Aeolian

Melancholic, natural minor — built from F major

PARENT FAMILY · F MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	F Ionian	Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – B♭maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	G Dorian	Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	A Phrygian	Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	A♯ Lydian	A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	C Mixolydian	C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	D Aeolian	Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	E Locrian	Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

D E F G A A♯ C

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

Dm7

II

Em7♭5

III

Fmaj7

IV

Gm7

V

Am7

VI

A♯maj7

VII

C7

▸ Play D Aeolian over Dm7 and C7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · MELANCHOLIC, NATURAL MINOR

MELANCHOLIC, NATURAL MINOR

D Aeolian is a minor mode with a melancholic, natural minor character. It is the VI mode of F major — it uses the same 7 notes as F Ionian but is rooted on D, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is Dm7.

Where to use D 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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