D Aeolian Scale Charts
Explore D Aeolian across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: D, E, F, G, A, A#, C. Intervals: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7.
D Aeolian full fretboard chart
D Aeolian uses D, E, F, G, A, A#, C across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2E | b3F | 4G | 5A | b6A# | b7C | RD | 2E | b3F | 4G | ||||||
| 2B | b7C | RD | 2E | b3F | 4G | 5A | b6A# | b7C | RD | |||||||
| 3G | 4G | 5A | b6A# | b7C | RD | 2E | b3F | 4G | 5A | b6A# | ||||||
| 4D | RD | 2E | b3F | 4G | 5A | b6A# | b7C | RD | 2E | b3F | ||||||
| 5A | 5A | b6A# | b7C | RD | 2E | b3F | 4G | 5A | b6A# | b7C | ||||||
| 6E | 2E | b3F | 4G | 5A | b6A# | b7C | RD | 2E | b3F | 4G | ||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (2), F4 at fret 1 (b3), G4 at fret 3 (4), A4 at fret 5 (5), A#4 at fret 6 (b6), C5 at fret 8 (b7), D5 at fret 10 (root), E5 at fret 12 (2), F5 at fret 13 (b3), G5 at fret 15 (4).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (b7), D4 at fret 3 (root), E4 at fret 5 (2), F4 at fret 6 (b3), G4 at fret 8 (4), A4 at fret 10 (5), A#4 at fret 11 (b6), C5 at fret 13 (b7), D5 at fret 15 (root).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (4), A3 at fret 2 (5), A#3 at fret 3 (b6), C4 at fret 5 (b7), D4 at fret 7 (root), E4 at fret 9 (2), F4 at fret 10 (b3), G4 at fret 12 (4), A4 at fret 14 (5), A#4 at fret 15 (b6).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (root), E3 at fret 2 (2), F3 at fret 3 (b3), G3 at fret 5 (4), A3 at fret 7 (5), A#3 at fret 8 (b6), C4 at fret 10 (b7), D4 at fret 12 (root), E4 at fret 14 (2), F4 at fret 15 (b3).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (5), A#2 at fret 1 (b6), C3 at fret 3 (b7), D3 at fret 5 (root), E3 at fret 7 (2), F3 at fret 8 (b3), G3 at fret 10 (4), A3 at fret 12 (5), A#3 at fret 13 (b6), C4 at fret 15 (b7).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (2), F2 at fret 1 (b3), G2 at fret 3 (4), A2 at fret 5 (5), A#2 at fret 6 (b6), C3 at fret 8 (b7), D3 at fret 10 (root), E3 at fret 12 (2), F3 at fret 13 (b3), G3 at fret 15 (4).
D Aeolian Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 10-14 for D Aeolian.
| String | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RD | 2E | b3F | ||
| 2B | 5A | b6A# | b7C | ||
| 3G | b3F | 4G | |||
| 4D | b7C | RD | 2E | ||
| 5A | 4G | 5A | b6A# | ||
| 6E | RD | 2E | b3F | ||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (root), E5 at fret 12 (2), F5 at fret 13 (b3).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (5), A#4 at fret 11 (b6), C5 at fret 13 (b7).
String 3: F4 at fret 10 (b3), G4 at fret 12 (4).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (b7), D4 at fret 12 (root), E4 at fret 14 (2).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (4), A3 at fret 12 (5), A#3 at fret 13 (b6).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (root), E3 at fret 12 (2), F3 at fret 13 (b3).
D Aeolian Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 8-12 for D Aeolian.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7C | RD | 2E | ||
| 2B | 5A | b6A# | |||
| 3G | 2E | b3F | 4G | ||
| 4D | b6A# | b7C | RD | ||
| 5A | b3F | 4G | 5A | ||
| 6E | b7C | RD | 2E | ||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (b7), D5 at fret 10 (root), E5 at fret 12 (2).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (5), A#4 at fret 11 (b6).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (2), F4 at fret 10 (b3), G4 at fret 12 (4).
String 4: A#3 at fret 8 (b6), C4 at fret 10 (b7), D4 at fret 12 (root).
String 5: F3 at fret 8 (b3), G3 at fret 10 (4), A3 at fret 12 (5).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (b7), D3 at fret 10 (root), E3 at fret 12 (2).
D Aeolian Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 6-10 for D Aeolian.
| String | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b6A# | b7C | RD | ||
| 2B | 4G | 5A | |||
| 3G | RD | 2E | b3F | ||
| 4D | 5A | b6A# | b7C | ||
| 5A | 2E | b3F | 4G | ||
| 6E | b6A# | b7C | RD | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
String 1: A#4 at fret 6 (b6), C5 at fret 8 (b7), D5 at fret 10 (root).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (4), A4 at fret 10 (5).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (root), E4 at fret 9 (2), F4 at fret 10 (b3).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (5), A#3 at fret 8 (b6), C4 at fret 10 (b7).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (2), F3 at fret 8 (b3), G3 at fret 10 (4).
String 6: A#2 at fret 6 (b6), C3 at fret 8 (b7), D3 at fret 10 (root).
D Aeolian Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 5-9 for D Aeolian.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5A | b6A# | b7C | ||
| 2B | 2E | b3F | 4G | ||
| 3G | b7C | RD | |||
| 4D | 4G | 5A | b6A# | ||
| 5A | RD | 2E | b3F | ||
| 6E | 5A | b6A# | b7C | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (5), A#4 at fret 6 (b6), C5 at fret 8 (b7).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (2), F4 at fret 6 (b3), G4 at fret 8 (4).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (b7), D4 at fret 7 (root).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (4), A3 at fret 7 (5), A#3 at fret 8 (b6).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (root), E3 at fret 7 (2), F3 at fret 8 (b3).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (5), A#2 at fret 6 (b6), C3 at fret 8 (b7).
D Aeolian Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 3-7 for D Aeolian.
| String | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 4G | 5A | b6A# | ||
| 2B | 2E | b3F | |||
| 3G | b6A# | b7C | RD | ||
| 4D | b3F | 4G | 5A | ||
| 5A | b7C | RD | 2E | ||
| 6E | 4G | 5A | b6A# | ||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (4), A4 at fret 5 (5), A#4 at fret 6 (b6).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (2), F4 at fret 6 (b3).
String 3: A#3 at fret 3 (b6), C4 at fret 5 (b7), D4 at fret 7 (root).
String 4: F3 at fret 3 (b3), G3 at fret 5 (4), A3 at fret 7 (5).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (b7), D3 at fret 5 (root), E3 at fret 7 (2).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (4), A2 at fret 5 (5), A#2 at fret 6 (b6).
D Aeolian Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 1-5 for D Aeolian.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b3F | 4G | 5A | ||
| 2B | RD | 2E | |||
| 3G | 5A | b6A# | b7C | ||
| 4D | 2E | b3F | 4G | ||
| 5A | b6A# | b7C | RD | ||
| 6E | b3F | 4G | 5A | ||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: F4 at fret 1 (b3), G4 at fret 3 (4), A4 at fret 5 (5).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (root), E4 at fret 5 (2).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (5), A#3 at fret 3 (b6), C4 at fret 5 (b7).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (2), F3 at fret 3 (b3), G3 at fret 5 (4).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b6), C3 at fret 3 (b7), D3 at fret 5 (root).
String 6: F2 at fret 1 (b3), G2 at fret 3 (4), A2 at fret 5 (5).
D Aeolian Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 11-15 for D Aeolian.
| String | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2E | b3F | 4G | ||
| 2B | b7C | RD | |||
| 3G | 4G | 5A | b6A# | ||
| 4D | RD | 2E | b3F | ||
| 5A | 5A | b6A# | b7C | ||
| 6E | 2E | b3F | 4G | ||
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E5 at fret 12 (2), F5 at fret 13 (b3), G5 at fret 15 (4).
String 2: C5 at fret 13 (b7), D5 at fret 15 (root).
String 3: G4 at fret 12 (4), A4 at fret 14 (5), A#4 at fret 15 (b6).
String 4: D4 at fret 12 (root), E4 at fret 14 (2), F4 at fret 15 (b3).
String 5: A3 at fret 12 (5), A#3 at fret 13 (b6), C4 at fret 15 (b7).
String 6: E3 at fret 12 (2), F3 at fret 13 (b3), G3 at fret 15 (4).
Aeolian scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · b3 · 4 · 5 · b6 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- b6
Practice the D Aeolian sound
- Say and play the scale: Play D → E → F → G → A → A# → C → D up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → 2 → b3 → 4 → 5 → b6 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on A# (b6) before landing on D. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 7 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 10–14), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next D as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Aeolian into the matching course and practice resources.