Guitar Modes: Aeolian

So this is, rather unconventionally, the first in the series on “The Modes” aka “The Modes of the Major Scale“. Yes, other books/teachers/websites will give you the modes in the order they appear in the Major Scale (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian etc…)- but, as I explained before, the modes are a different system to the major scale and thinking about them as being so linked together just- in my experience- leads to much confusion.

So here we are, starting with the Aeolian Mode- which is the same notes and pattern on the fretboard as the natural minor scale. In the following examples, I’ll be using A Aeolian. Here it is in guitar tab:


e -------------------------------------------------7--8--10--
B ---------------------------------------6--8--10------------
G -----------------------------5--7--9-----------------------
D --------------------5--7--9--------------------------------
A -----------5--7--8-----------------------------------------
E --5--7--8--------------------------------------------------


Now, you could just use the scale as is- in exactly the shape above…but I, personally, prefer to use the pentatonic scale shapes and add in the extra notes. So the shape I mostly use for the aeolian mode is this one:


e --------------------------------------5-(7)-8
B ------------------------------5-(6)-8--------
G ----------------------(4)-5-7----------------
D --------------(3)-5-7------------------------
A ----------5-7--------------------------------
E --5-(7)-8------------------------------------


Here, I’ve added the Major 2nd and the Minor 6th (both in brackets). This is the type of scale shape used in a lot of rock much (especially by blues rock guitarists such as: Slash, Zakk Wylde, Billy F. Gibbons etc…).

I’ll leave you with this example of me jamming the aeolian mode. Notice how I basically use the pentatonic scale, but emphasise the added notes to make the mode. I’m playing over a backing track that I created using guitar pro- which is, essentially, an Am chord followed by an F/A. A is the root note of the mode, and (as modes don’t work on chord progressions) is what you hear every note in relation to musically. The Am is there to emphasise the “minorness”, and the F/A is there because this introduces an F note (the minor 6th of the scale)- both notes that give the mode it’s sound (minor third and minor 6th).

Any questions, comments, please leave them below and I’ll answer ASAP
Rob.

March 14, 2011 at 9:56 pm | Guitar Scales, How to, Music Theory | 2 comments

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