Db 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
- Db 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
1Dbroot
2Ebmajor 2nd
b3Fbminor 3rd
4Gbperfect 4th
5Abperfect 5th
b6Aminor 6th
b7Cbminor 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
- DbWEbHFbWGbWAbHAWCb
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IDbpoint of resttonic
IIIFbdefines modal qualitythird
VAbsupports the tonic sonorityfifth
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIIFbFb
IVGbGb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IDbDb
IIEbEb
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This scale on guitar 🎸
See how Db 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.