F♯ Aeolian

Melancholic, natural minor — built from A major

PARENT FAMILY · A MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	A Ionian	Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	B Dorian	Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	C♯ Phrygian	C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	D Lydian	Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	E Mixolydian	E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	F♯ Aeolian	F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	G♯ Locrian	G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D E

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

F♯m7

II

G♯m7♭5

III

Amaj7

IV

Bm7

V

C♯m7

VI

Dmaj7

VII

E7

▸ Play F♯ Aeolian over F♯m7 and E7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · MELANCHOLIC, NATURAL MINOR

MELANCHOLIC, NATURAL MINOR

F♯ Aeolian is a minor mode with a melancholic, natural minor character. It is the VI mode of A major — it uses the same 7 notes as A Ionian but is rooted on F♯, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is F♯m7.

Where to use F♯ 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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