Ab Aeolian (natural minor)
Natural minor with a minor 6th and minor 7th above the tonic; a stable minor sound without a leading tone.
Octaves
Musical context
How the scale relates to the chord, mode, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- Ab Aeolian (natural minor)
- Family
- Diatonic scales
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- W – H – W – W – H – W – W
- Numeric formula
- 0-2-1-2-2-1-2-2
Notes & degrees
1Abroot
2Bbmajor 2nd
b3Cbminor 3rd
4Dbperfect 4th
5Ebperfect 5th
b6Fbminor 6th
b7Gbminor 7th
Construction
- Overview
- Natural minor with a minor 6th and minor 7th above the tonic; a stable minor sound without a leading tone.
- Application in music
- Identical to natural minor. Its diatonic dominant is minor v; functional minor often raises degree 7.
- Interval formula
- AbWBbHCbWDbWEbHFbWGb
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IAbpoint of resttonic
IIICbdefines modal qualitythird
VEbsupports the tonic sonorityfifth
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIICbCb
IVDbDb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IAbAb
IIBbBb
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This scale on guitar 🎸
See how Ab Aeolian (natural minor) looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.