G Aeolian

Melancholic, natural minor — built from A♯ major

PARENT FAMILY · A♯ MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	A♯ Ionian	A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	C Dorian	Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	D Phrygian	Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	D♯ Lydian	D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	F Mixolydian	F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – B♭maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – E♭maj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	G Aeolian	Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	A Locrian	Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

G A A♯ C D D♯ F

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

Gm7

II

Am7♭5

III

A♯maj7

IV

Cm7

V

Dm7

VI

D♯maj7

VII

F7

▸ Play G Aeolian over Gm7 and F7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · MELANCHOLIC, NATURAL MINOR

MELANCHOLIC, NATURAL MINOR

G 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 G, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is Gm7.

Where to use G 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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